Your Bed or Mine?
by Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika
Summary: Sakura didn't expect her sister's wedding to turn her life upside down. When she and Sasuke had been teenagers, Sasuke had been the perfect boy next door and Sakura's crush. But Sakura's over him..until he proves that the perfect boy is ALL man now!
1. Prologue

**Your Bed Or Mine?**

**Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Sasuke may be OOC so I just have to warn the readers so you won't criticise me by saying "why is sasuke OOC?"**

**Warning: This story might be on the slow update...but I will try my best to update. There maybe lemons in future chapters...**

**Prologue**

Sasuke felt a warm body beside him…

It had been years – eleven, to be exact – but Haruno Sakura was exactly as he'd remember her. His gaze drifted down to her lips, soft and full and slightly parted. She was all woman now – sexy, soft and warm. And she was sleeping in his bed…

Sasuke leaned over, touching his lips to hers. She obviously wanted something to happen. It was a pretty bold move…but Sakura had never known to wait when she wanted something. And he could only hope she wanted him as much as he was starting to want her…

"Sasuke," she whispered.

The sound of his name on her lips was like fuel on a fire. His desire surged and he kissed her again, deeper, harder this time. This was Sakura, the girl he'd wanted all his life. She could be his now…

But as he settled above her, an uneasy feeling came over him. Something wasn't right.

"Sakura. Open your eyes."

Her lashes fluttered, and a moment later she was looking at him, first in confusion, then in absolute shock.

He'd known it was too good to last…

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**AN: Right that the prologue peeps. So please tell me what you think?? Shall I continue?? So please R&R... Arigato.**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**

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	2. Chapter 1

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**Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Forgive me readers, since in this fic of mine Itachi will be portrayed as Sasuke's younger brother. So in advanced I'm apologising. BTW, the previous chapter was a Prologue that was why it was short. Hope people understand that now.**

**Warning: There are some OC names in this fic... but Mika-chan is definitely my most OC character. So again please forgive me for it. Don't worry, the other Naruto characters will play some part in this fic but this is definitely a SasuSaku fic. So i will still be hoping you will read the fic.**

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**Chapter 1**

HUGE SNOWFLAKES drifted down through the night sky, spattering against the windshield of Sakura Haruno's rental car. She watched through tired eyes as the wipers slapped them away, the rhythmic sound lulling her toward complete exhaustion. Her eyelids fluttered and she felt herself drifting, then reached down and opened the window.

The chilly night air was a slap to the face and Sakura drew a deep breath. The flight from New York had been late getting into Konoha and by the time she'd arrived, the airport hotel had given away her room. Left with nowhere to sleep, she'd decided to drive the two hours to her parents' lake house rather than waste time searching for a room.

It wasn't so much an urge to get home that sent her into the midst of a snowstorm, but the fact that Sakura just hated wasting time. After eleven years of living in Konoha and seven years of working the cutthroat world of public relations, she'd learn to be very efficient with every minute of her day. She didn't waste time on anything that couldn't get her ahead in the world professionally. She worked out because the gym was a good place to network. She belonged to seven different professional organizations because all those names looked good on her résumé. And she had worked sixteen-hour days for seven years because that was the way to get herself a partnership.

"So what am I doing back in North Lake, Konoha then?" she muttered.

Her younger sister, Mika, had called a few weeks ago, insisting that Sakura come home for the week before Valentine's Day. Mika had a very special event planned at the lake house, but she refused to give any details, only that everyone of the Harunos should be in attendance. Sakura's parents had been married on Valentine's Day thirty years ago, so it hadn't been difficult to guess at the purpose of her sister's plans.

An electronic version of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachmusik" interrupted Sakura's thoughts and she glanced over at her cell phone sitting on the passenger seat. Snatching it up, she looked at the caller ID, then tossed it back onto the seat. Akira. He'd called at least twenty times since she'd left New York for a business trip in San Francisco a few days ago. So far she's avoided answering.

She and Akira had been exclusive for nearly two years and he'd planned to come to North Lake Konoha with her and meet the family. But at the last minute, he'd cancelled, begging off because of work commitments. It was at that moment Sakura realized her relationship with Akira had become a waste of time. Between out-of-town business trips and busy schedules, they'd spent three nights together in the past month – not much considering they lived in the apartment.

She squinted through the snow, searching for the sign pointing to the West Shore Road. There was a time when she'd known every inch of the tiny town of North Lake. She'd spent every summer of her life here until she'd gone to college.

Even after years of being away from this place, and in the midst of a chilly winter night, she felt a familiar sense of excitement course through her. She remembered the frantic packing the day after school let out for the summer. And then came the ride from Konoha to the lake in an overstuffed minivan, her mother behind the wheel. Her older brother, Daisuke, always sat in the front and controlled the radio while Sakura sat between her younger siblings Mika and Taka. The youngest, Kenji, was wedged into the far back seat between the suitcases and the boxes of kitchen supplies. Her younger siblings had always worn their swimming suits on the ride up so they could jump out of the car and into the lake without having to change.

But Sakura had always had other things on her mind. With each mile that passed, she'd grown more excited, the anticipation building, the nerves fraying. What would he look like? Would he be exactly as she remembered or would he have changed? Had she changed? Would he see her differently? Would this summer finally be the summer when she'd kiss him?

Year after year, drive after drive, her every thought had always been focused on him. Even now, Sakura found herself falling back into old habits. Sasuke Uchiha. He'd been her fairy-tale prince, her knight in shining armour, her schoolgirl crush and her first love, all wrapped up into one incredible hot boy.

His family had the summerhouse next door. They'd all summered together for years: the five Harunos and the five Uchihas, an unruly tribe of kids known around North Lake as the Uchiharu. For years she'd looked at Sasuke like her older brother, Daisuke – an icky, gross, burping and spitting cad who had more cooties than she cared to count.

Then, one day they were swimming out to the raft and Sasuke dunked her under. She'd gone under as a twelve-year-old girl and surfaced a teenager with her first crush. He'd been thirteen that summer and a handsome boy. Even now she recalled his dark onyx eyes and his perfect teeth. How little droplets of water had clung to his dark eyelashes as he smiled at her and how his face was so pale and smooth she felt compelled to reach out and touch his cheek.

When she had, Sasuke had slapped her and away, a confused frown wrinkling his forehead. But from that moment on, she'd been in love. It was only later that her hormones had turned chaste puppy love to teenage lust. And later still to feelings that bordered on obsession and finally, ended in humiliation.

She drew n a deep breath and sighed. Over the past eleven years, she'd managed to visit the lake house only when Sasuke was certain to be elsewhere. Yet, with each visit she'd secretly hoped that maybe she'd run into him again, maybe she'd have a chance to undo the mess she'd made the night of her eighteenth birthday.

Her phone rang again and Sakura cursed as she picked it up. But this time, she didn't recognize the number, only the Manhattan area code. Now that she'd been named a partner, her boss was free to call her at any time, day or night, and Jeffrey Walters had taken advantage of that fact more than once. Sakura wondered what kind of emergency had come up at nearly 4:00 a.m. Manhattan time.

She flipped open the phone and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"I figured you were screening so I was forced to call from the payphone on the corner."

Sakura recognized Akira's voice and bit back another curse. "I really don't want to talk to you. I said everything I needed to say before I left. It's over."

"Sakura, we can work this out. You can't just end it. Everything was going so well."

She laughed, shaking her head at his ability to spin the situation. Akira was one of the most successful young lawyers on Wall Street. Like her, he could put a positive spin on the worst disaster imaginable.

"How can you say that?" she asked. "We barely see each other. And when we do, we have nothing to say. We talk about work."

"What do you want? I can talk about other things."

"That's not the point," Sakura said, growing more frustrated. Usually, she was able to express her views clearly and unemotionally. But this time she had no idea what she wanted. She just knew she didn't want to come home to Akira anymore. For a long time, her life had felt out of balance and this was the only way she could think to fix it.

"What _is_ the point?" he asked.

"I—" she took a deep breath "—I'm not happy."

"When has that ever made a difference to you? You work nonstop, you never take a vacation, every minute of your life is planned. Of course you're not happy. Who would be? But, Sakura, that's the way you like it."

"Not anymore," she said. "It just doesn't feel right." Suddenly, she felt a panic grip her body. Was this the right thing to do? Was she really ready to give up? A buzzing in her ears made her dizzy and for a moment she thought she might pass out. "I—I have to go. I'll call you when I get back and we'll sort out all the details. Goodbye, Akira."

Sakura quickly pulled over to the curb and rolled the window down, breathing deeply of the cold night air. For the past month, she'd been fighting these panic attacks. They'd become an almost-daily occurrence. She'd blamed them on the stress of being named a partner, on living in Manhattan, on her doubts about Akira. But Sakura sensed that none of these factors were really the cause.

The sound of a siren startled her and Sakura looked in the rear view mirror to find a police car pulling up behind her, lights flashing. She hadn't even been close to the speed limit! But when she'd pulled over to the curb, she might have swerved too suddenly in the snow. Sakura watched in the side mirror as the police officer got out of his SUV and approached the car. A sudden shiver of fear raced through her. She'd seen the stories on the news. Rapist and serial killers posing as policemen. Sakura brushed the thought aside. This was North Lake. Things like that happened in New York, not in Konoha.

When the officer reached her car, he tapped at the window with his flashlight. Sakura pressed the button on the console and the window slid down an inch.

"Show me your badge," she demanded. He held it out and Sakura snatched it from him. It looked real enough. She opened the window a little more and handed it back.

"License and registration, please," he said.

"I—I'm not sure I have a registration," Sakura said.

"This is a rental." She pulled her license out of her wallet and handed it to him, then reached for the glove box. "The car comes from Speedy Rental at O'Hare. I have the rental agreement right here." She handed him the paperwork, then peered out at him.

"I wasn't speeding".

"You were talking on a cell phone," he replied.

"We have an ordinance against that in North Lake. Have you been drinking ma'am?"

"No," Sakura said, stunned by his question. "I just pulled over because I was tired. I needed some fresh air."

He paused as he examined her license. "Sakura Ami Haruno," he muttered. "You're Sakura Haruno?" He shone the flashlight in her face and Sakura squinted.

"Yes."

"One of the Uchiharu kids?"

"Yes," she replied.

He turned the flashlight off, then leaned down, sending her a friendly smile. "Well, don't you remember me?" He pointed to the name tag pinned to his jacket. "Sai Muguruma. We went out on a few dates the summer of…well, it doesn't really matter. I took you sailing. I ran the boat aground over near Raspberry Island and you called me an idiot and dumped a can of Coke on my head."

Sakura did remember. It was the sailing equivalent of running out of gas on a deserted country road. She also remembered how Sai Muguruma had tried to kiss her and feel her up and how he'd chided her for acting like a priss. Most of the boys she'd dated that summer before college had served just one purpose for Sakura—they were a feeble attempt to make Sasuke Uchiha jealous.

"Of course," Sakura replied. "Sai Muguruma. My goodness, you're a policeman now? That's almost ironic considering all the trouble you used to cause."

"Yeah. A misspent youth. But I've reformed. I got a degree in criminal justice, then worked for the Konoha P.D.," he said. "Then I heard they were looking for a police chief here and I thought, what the hell. I'd been shot at four times in Konoha and figured my number was coming up. So I came home." He chuckled. "I guess you've caught yourself a lucky break."

"I have?"

He flipped his ticket book closed and tucked it back into his jacket. "I'm going t let you off with a warning." He returned her driver's license. "As long as you promise not to talk on you cell phone while you're driving. It's against the law in the entire county and it's a pretty big fine."

"Thank you," Sakura said.

"So, what have you been up to? The last time I saw you in North Lake you were just out of high school."

"I work in New York," Sakura said. "I don't get back much."

"Too bad," Sai said. "Living in the city is great, but I never really appreciated this place until I left. There's something special about North Lake…something peaceful." He shrugged, then tapped her window with his finger. "You drive carefully, Sakura. The roads are slick. And if I catch you talking on your cell phone again, I'm going to have to give you a ticket."

"I understand," Sakura said.

"Goodnight, then,"

For a moment, she sensed he might have something else to say. But then, he turned and walked back to his SUV. A few seconds later, the lights stopped flashing and sakura took that as her cue to pull out onto the street. Moments later, she spotted West Shore Road and made the turn, Officer Sai following her at a distance.

The houses along the shore were dark, most of them unoccupied in the winter, and she squinted to see the mailboxes through the snow. She passed by the sign for the Uchihas' driveway; the next one belonged to her parents' house. A small light glowed at the end of the drive and she turned in and steered the car down the steep slope through the leafless trees, holding her breath the entire way. The SUV continued past, Officer Sai apparently satisfied tat she'd made it to her destination.

She switched off the ignition and stared at the house through the icy car window. It was even more picturesque in the winter, the roof covered with snow, icicles hanging from the gutters on the white clapboard façade. Looking at the peaceful setting, Sakura knew it would be impossible to get any work done while home with her family. And though she felt she needed a break from work, she knew she couldn't. So she had made a reservation, starting the next night, at the inn downtown. Between Daisuke's three kids and the usual craziness that occurred when her boisterous family was together, Sakura was certain she'd need a place to hide out.

Sakura stepped out of the car and grabbed her bags from the back sea. She couldn't help but glance over at the Uchihas' house. There was a light on in the kitchen, but the rest of the house was dark. No doubt Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha would be at the anniversary celebration. But there would be no reason for their children to be invited. Still, Sakura had to wonder if there was a chance she'd see Sasuke. And if she did, what would it be between them. Would he remember that night on the beach? Would he pretend as if nothing had happened?

It had been eleven years. Maybe it was time to let it go, Sakura mused. She'd been a kid with a crush. She hadn't seen Sasuke since the night before she left for NYU. Until now, the memory of that night had always brought a surge of regret and utter humiliation.

They were adults now and if he wanted to rehash her silly teenage indiscretion, the she would simply refuse to discuss it. Certainly he's made mistakes in his youth that he didn't want brought up around his family. Sakura tried to think of one or two just in case se needed ammunition.

They had gotten into all sorts of trouble as kids. Even now, Sakura was amazed that she'd managed to avoid a life as a juvenile delinquent. But she and Sasuke had been a pair and she'd been the only one of the Uchiharu who ever accepted his dares.

She smiled. Once, they'd caught a squirrel in a live trap and let it go inside the police chief's cruiser. Then there had been the time she and Sasuke had stolen a bike from the town bully. The next morning, the kid found his bike bobbing up and down on the raft just off the public beach. That trick had gained them a lot of admirers, although they never admitted to it. And then, there had been all those times they'd broken into their "fortress," a deserted summerhouse on the east shore.

The house was dark and silent as she slipped inside. No one ever locked the door when the family was at home. She stood in the spacious foyer and took a deep breath, the familiar scent teasing at her nose—a mix of the lake and leaves, old wood and furniture polish and vanilla candles her mother loved to burn to take the damp out of the air. Once, she'd known every inch of this house, every secret hiding place, every sun-drenched window. It had been her very own castle.

Sakura slowly climbed the stairs then walked down the hall to her bedroom. But when she pushed the door open, she saw the room was already occupied—Daisuke's kids, two in the bed and the youngest in the portable crib.

She carefully closed the door and walked across the hall. Mika would probably have room in her bed. She slipped inside her sister's room and closed the door behind her. Sakura set her bag down and walked to the bed. The room was chilly and Mika had found a down comforter and was buried beneath it, her pillow pulled over her head.

"Mika?" Sakura whispered as she stood over the bed. She shrugged out of her jacket and kicked off her shoes. Mika had always been a heavy sleeper. Sakura sat on the edge of the bed. She could probably find an empty couch downstairs, but she was too exhausted to search. She'd catch a few hours' sleep and check into the inn for a long nap in the morning.

Sakura slipped out of her jeans and crawled beneath the comforter, pulling it up to her chin. She closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to the last summer she'd spent at the lake house. Sasuke had been home from college that summer after his sophomore year. From the moment he'd arrived, Sakura had been completely and thoroughly obsessed with him. He was gorgeous, lean and with pale smooth skin and so incredibly sexy that Sakura was sure she would die if she couldn't be with him.

The summer had passed, Sakura trying anything and everything to get him to notice her. Finally, on the night of her eighteenth birthday party, she had decided to make a bold move. College was just a few days away and she didn't want to leave for NYU a virgin. So she'd screwed up her courage, gotten Sasuke alone on the beach, torn off her shirt and asked him to make a woman out of her.

Sakura groaned inwardly, pulling the comforter up to her nose. Even after all these years, the thought of her stupid offer was enough to bring a blush to her cheeks. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that Sasuke wouldn't show up in North Lake until she was gone.

He was probably miles away, Sakura mused. Maybe even sleeping beside another woman. She frowned at the tiny sliver of jealousy that pricked at her thoughts. The torch she'd carried for Sasuke had been extinguished a long time ago. It wasn't jealousy. Closer to envy, Sakura thought, for she had imagined Sasuke happy and settled and maybe even in love.

He probably had everything in life he'd ever wanted. And she was still trying to figure out what she needed to make herself happy. Sakura thought she'd have all the answers by the time she was thirty. Now her twenty-ninth birthday was just a few months away. There wasn't much time left.

Maybe a week away from New York and the life she'd built there would give her some perspective, a quiet moment to figure things out. Sakura yawned, threw her arm over her eyes. She'd have plenty of time to think about all this tomorrow. Right now, she needed sleep.

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**AN: Thats the first chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think so far. Do you like it?? Is the chapter(s) long enough? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. Arigato.**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	3. Chapter 2

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******Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: In this chapter along with future chapters. Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama will portray Sakura and Mika's parents..so I'm really sorry if it makes it weird but please understand that they are the closest one to become Sakura's parents in the anime. I hope you will still like it.**

**Warning: I think through out the fic, there will be loads of fluff, drama, humor, and probably lemons... but I'm not possitively sure of where it'll pop up..**

**So here is chapter 2.. read on and enjoy!**

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Chapter 2

THE SOUND OF A CELL PHONE ringing dragged Sasuke Uchiha out of a deep and comfortable sleep. He groaned softly, then realized that the electronic jingle didn't belong to his phone. It was only then that Sasuke felt the warm body beside him.

At first he thought he was dreaming, but the weight of her leg thrown across his thighs was real, as was the citrusy scent of her hair. He tried to move his arm and found her head nestled against his shoulder.

A _name_, he thought to himself. He was in bed with a woman and he couldn't remember her name. Though he'd indulged in a number of one-night stands in the past, he'd pretty much given that up as of late.

The phone continued to ring and then stopped suddenly. Where had they met? Where had he been last night? Sasuke waited for the signs of raging hangover to seep into his consciousness, but strangely enough, he knew he hadn't been drinking. If that was the case, then why couldn't he remember the woman?

"Think," he whispered as he slowly opened his eyes. His surroundings were completely unfamiliar. But then, slowly, he realized where he was. The Harunos' lake house. Mika's bedroom. But that was where he was, then who the hell was in bed with him? Surely not his future sister-in-law!

He pushed up on his elbow and squinted at the clock. Six a.m. He looked down at his bed mate, then carefully brushed away the wavy pink hair away from her face. "Oh, shit," he muttered, snatching his hand away. It had been years—eleven, to be exact—but there was no mistaking that beautiful profile, the upturned nose, the flawless skin and the long lashes.

She was exactly as he'd remembered her, only Sakura Haruno was no longer a gawky teenage girl. She was a woman. His gaze drifted down to her lips, soft and full and slightly parted. A very sexy, soft, warm woman. But what the hell was she doing in his bed?

Sasuke fought the urge to bend closer and touch her face. God, he remembered those urges. Funny how they all came back so quickly. Just how many times had he thought about kissing Sakura Haruno over the course of his life? A hundred, maybe two hundred?

The summer she'd turned eighteen it was all he could do to keep his hands off of her, from the moment he'd arrived at the lake house until the moment he'd left. He'd deliberately avoided her, just so he wouldn't have to think about it.

And now he had the chance. Why not take it? Why not see what he'd been missing all these years? He smoothed her hair away from her face and leaned over, then touched his lips to hers. As he drew back, she stirred and her eyes fluttered. A sigh slipped from her lips and she smiled.

Sasuke watched her warily. She obviously wanted something to happen between them or she wouldn't have crawled into bed with him. It was a pretty bold move, considering her parents were sleeping just down the hall. But Sakura had been known for her bold moves and she obviously had become bolder since he'd last seen her. She lived in Manhattan. Hell, he'd seen _Sex and the City._ He knew what single women in New York were like.

"Do you want me to kiss you again?" he whispered.

"Umm." She snuggled closer, resting her hand on his bare chest.

"Umm" could be constructed as a negative reply, but Sasuke decided that, coupled with her sleepy smile, it indicated a positive response.

He stretched out beside her, furrowing his hands through her hair and gently covering her lips with his. She seemed to melt into him, her body pressing against his as another sigh slipped from her throat. In his youth, kissing Sakura had been an obsession and now that it was reality, Sasuke was stunned by the sensations that coursed through his body.

It was just a kiss! But it was as if all pent-up desire from his teenage years had suddenly been released. And now, he could actually imagine what might happen between them.

His reaction to the kiss was immediate and intense. It had been awhile since he'd had a woman. During the past year, he'd found himself searching for something that had been difficult to find—a woman who was strong and independent and not afraid to be herself. He was through with women who were willing to remake themselves into whatever they thought he wanted.

Sasuke smiled. He'd known Sakura for years and what you saw with her was what you got. Even now, he imagined that she was just as stubborn and opinionated and determined as she'd been as a kid. God, he'd always admired her. She was the only girl he'd ever meet who challenged him.

Her hand moved down his back, her palm warm against his skin, then slipped beneath the waistband of his boxers. He held his breath as she moved her fingers forward, to his hip. Though he hadn't woken up to a morning erection, he'd managed to remedy that situation in quick order by kissing her.

He pulled her beneath him, his fingers still tangled in her hair and moulding her mouth to his. Her hips rubbed against his, his shaft hot and hard between them. There was something so exciting about touching her, something almost forbidden.

"Sasuke," she whispered.

The sound of his name on her lips was like fuel on a fire. His desire surged and his kiss deepened, his tongue plunging into her mouth hungrily.

This was Sakura, the girl he'd known all his life, the girl he'd so carefully avoided. But she could be his, here in this bed. There was nothing to stop them. In the past, the time had never seemed right, but now, every instinct in his body screamed that the time was perfect.

As he kissed her, he found himself caught up in a fantasy that he'd lived a thousand times in his dreams. He slipped his hand beneath her T-shirt and gently cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb across her nipple through the silky fabric of her bra.

She shuddered, then arch against him, but still her eyes were closed. An uneasy feeling came over him and for a moment, he thought she might be asleep and dreaming. Sasuke drew back and stared down at her face, watching her as he continued to caress her breast. "Sakura?"

"Sasuke?" she murmured.

"Open your eyes."

Her lashes fluttered. She looked at him, at first with a blank stared and then with growing confusion.

"Morning," he murmured.

Sakura frowned and rubbed her eyes with her fists. A cry of alarm slipped from her lips and then, in a rush, she pushed away from him, tumbling backward onto the floor, her bare legs tangling in the comforter. "Wh—what are you doing in my bed?"

"I think the more appropriate question would be, what are you doing in _my_ bed?"

"Not your bed. This is Mika's room. It's her bed." She blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "And you're not her."

"Mika's staying at the inn in town so she can have a little peace and quiet. Our house was full, so your mother offered me the last empty bed."

Her phone rang again and Sakura looked around the room, then crawled across the floor to retrieve her purse. She watched him warily as she flipped open the phone. "Hello?"

Sasuke grinned at her, letting his gaze take in her long, naked legs and the lacy black panties. Yes, the gangly teenager was gone, replaced by a long-limbed, incredibly sexy woman.

"Yes, Jeffrey. I understand. No, I'll get right on it. You'll have it by the end of the day. All right. You, too. Goodbye." She closed the phone.

"Boyfriend?"

"Boss," she murmured. "You were in this bed last night. With me?"

Sasuke nodded. Oh, hell, she had been asleep. "Yes. But I wasn't with you. Not in the biblical sense. We were just next to each other. And then, well, then you woke up." The last he needed was Sakura to go running downstairs, accusing him of being a pervert. "Hey it was an honest mistake. It was dark. I looked like your sister. How could you have known?"

A frown wrinkled her forehead. "Then we weren't just…I wasn't…Nothing happened, right?"

Sasuke winced. "Well, there was a little something, but that was an honest mistake, as well. I just kind of assumed you'd crawled in bed with me for a reason, so—"

She touched her lips. "You kissed me?"

"But you kissed me back. And there was some localized touching going on, but only through clothes. Except you did put your hand down my boxers."

Her phone rang again. Sakura opened her mouth and snapped it shut, then looked at the caller ID. This time, she decided not to answer. Instead, she grabbed the corner of the comforter and pulled it off the bed to cover herself, leaving him in nothing but those boxers. She watched him warily, waiting for him to make the next move.

"Did you think I was someone else?" he asked.

"Yes," she snapped. But from the guilty look on her face, he could tell she was lying.

"Some other guy named Sasuke?"

"Yes. I happen to know three or four other Sasukes."

He grabbed a corner of the comforter and pulled it over his lap. It would be hard to sell the "nothing happened" story with a raging hard-on pressing against the front of his boxers. Sasuke cleared his throat and forced a smile. "So, how have you been? It's been a while. How long? Eleven years?"

She nodded, clutching the comforter to her chest. Her cheeks were flushed and her breath was coming in quick gasps. And her hair, thick and wavy, was tumbled about her shoulders. She never looked more beautiful. Sasuke's gaze drifted down, stopping at the perfectly painted toes peeking out from under the blanket. She'd always had really pretty feet. He'd spent a lot of time looking at her feet when he was younger, simply to avoid looking at her breasts, which were also pretty incredible.

"Your mother said you wouldn't be arriving until this morning," he commented.

"I decided to drive directly from the airport. When did you get in?"

"Yesterday," he said. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Not much," she replied. "Just working. I'm still with that public relations firm that I joined right out of college. I was made partner last month. What about you?"

"I have my own design firm now. I'm doing mostly residential architecture. I kind of specialize in vacation homes based on classic camp designs."

"Interesting." She drew in a sharp breath, impatient with the idle chitchat. "What are you doing home? Why would you want to come to my parents' anniversary party?"

A sow realization dawned. Mika hadn't told her what was going on. Sasuke wondered if he ought to be the one to break the happy news or if she should hear it over the breakfast table. For now, it might prove a distraction from what had just happened. "This isn't an anniversary party," Sasuke said. "It's Mika and Itachi."

She frowned at the mention of Sasuke's younger brother. "Mika and Itachi?"

"They're getting married."

At first she gasped, the regarded him with disbelief. This was Sakura he remembered. She always found a way to disagree with him, even if he was only claiming the sun rose in the east and set in the west. "Not funny."

"It's the truth," Sasuke said. "That's why we're all here. It's going to be a small wedding at the Episcopal Church in town on Valentine's evening. She's got the dress and they've got the license."

"They aren't even dating," Sakura said.

"I guess they have been. They've been secretly seeing each other for the past three summers. They didn't want anyone to know. You know how our mothers are and how they've dreamed about making a match between the Harunos and the Uchihas. They got engaged on New Year's and decided to get married right away, before Mikoto and Tsunade could plan a big event."

"But they're only twenty-two," Sakura said. "That's too young. What do they know about marriage?" She drew a ragged breath and stared at him, as if she were taking a moment to digest the news. Then, her eyes slowly dropped, first to his chest and then his legs. She pulled the comforter up beneath her chin. "Do you think maybe you could get dressed and—"

The door to the bedroom swung open and Sakura's youngest brother, Kenji, stuck his head inside. "Hey, Sasuke. Are you going to want some—" His words died in his throat as he took in the scene in front of him. "Hey, Sakura. You're home." He glanced over at Sasuke, then forced a smile. "Yeah, okay. Breakfast," he murmured as he closed the door.

"Oh, no," Sakura moaned, scrambling to her feet. "No,no,no. now's he's going to go downstairs and this is going to be the subject of breakfast conversation. The two of us, in our underwear, in the same bedroom."

"And in the same bed," he said. "We could always crawl back under the covers and really mess with their heads," Sasuke offered. She sent him a withering look and he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Bad joke. Sorry."

With a low growl, Sakura scrambled to her feet and tossed the comforter aside. "You haven't changed at all, Sasuke Uchiha, everything is always a joke to you. You never take anything seriously."

Sasuke watched as she searched for her pants. "Don't get you panties in a twist. I'll explain the mistake. Although I'm not going to give them all the details."

"The state of my panties is none of your business. And I don't remember any of the details. Why? Because I was asleep."

Sasuke laughed. To think he'd dreaded seeing her again, knowing how uncomfortable it might be. But they'd slipped right back into their normal dynamic. Sasuke swung his legs over the side of the bed, fighting the urge to grab her arm and pull her back on top of him, to remind her of her reaction to his kiss.

There had always been a heat between them, an attraction that he'd been reluctant to act upon. She'd always been too young, too naïve. And he'd known she was in love with him, so it could only end badly. He'd thought he'd done the honourable thing that night so long ago, the night she'd offered up her virginity for his taking.

His rejection obviously still stung. If not that, what else could she possibly be angry about? "If you're still angry about—"

Sakura gasped, then threw a shoe at him. "I'm not angry about that. Just forget about that. I was young and stupid and I've slept with plenty of men since then and all of them much better lovers than you could have possibly been. Some women might find you attractive, but not me."

Her phone rang for a fourth time. Sasuke jumped off the bed and caught her arm, then pulled her against him. Without a second thought, he brought his mouth down on hers and kissed her, deeply and thoroughly. He felt her soften in his arms and when her knees buckled, Sasuke grabbed her waist to steady her.

When he finally drew back, her face was flushed and her eyes closed. He felt his own reaction in his boxers, the desire returning immediately. This was going to be one helluva week if this was how they were starting, he mused. There had always been a sexual curiosity between them. Maybe it was time to satisfy it.

"Are you going to answer that?" he asked.

"It can wait," Sakura replied breathlessly.

"Yeah," he murmured, "that's what I thought." Nothing had changed. He wanted her just as much he always had.

Sakura opened her eyes and stared at him, a sigh slipping from her lips. "I-I'd better get dressed. Everyone is going to be expecting us at breakfast." She quickly grabbed her overnight bag and rushed to the adjoining bathroom, then slammed the door behind her.

Sasuke sat down on the bed and smiled. This was a start and maybe that was all he could hope for. He glanced around the room, grabbed his jeans from the bedpost and tugged them on. He found a clean T-shirt in his duffel and pulled it over his head. He'd find a way to continue what they'd begun later in the day.

When he got downstairs, the huge kitchen was filled with people. Sakura's mother, Tsunade, was busy at the stove, preparing pancakes for her family. Her eldest, Daisuke, was just a year older than Sasuke, but already had a wife and three children. After Sakura came Taka and Mika, followed by Kenji, who would graduate from high school in June. Daisuke was reading the sports section and discussing the Bulls game with Sasuke's younger brother Kensei.

"Good morning, everyone," Sasuke said, taking the first empty spot at the huge table.

"Sausage or bacon, dear?" Tsunade called.

"Bacon," Sasuke said. A moment later, a plate was dropped in front of him. He reached out for the lazy Susan, which held utensils, napkins, butter and syrup.

The Haruno house was so much like his own that he felt at home at their table. He couldn't remember the number of meals that he'd eaten in their kitchen, usually with several of his siblings. Tsunade and Sasuke's mother, Mikoto, never bothered to sort out their respective children at mealtime. Whoever was sitting at the table at the beginning of a meal got fed, no matter which family they belonged to.

Jake had just dug into his pancakes when Kenji walked in the back door, covered in snow and carrying an armload of firewood. He sent Sasuke a knowing smile, then dropped the wood next to the door. "Morning, Sasuke. How'd you sleep?"

"Kenji, I want you to take some firewood to Fugaku and Mikoto's house," Tsunade said. "Load a bunch in the back of your truck. We have plenty. Sasuke can help you load it."

Kenji grinned. "Oh, I think he might be too tired to load firewood, Ma. So didja get much sleep last night, Sasuke?"

"I've been meaning to get a new mattress for that bed," Tsunade said. "It wasn't too lumpy, was it?"

"Not lumpy," Kenji said. "Maybe a little crowded."

Sakura's mother scowled. "Kenji, what are you talking about?"

The entire group turned to hear Kenji's response. "Sakura was sleeping with Sasuke."

Tsunade gasped. "Sakura's home? When did she get in?"

"At about three in the morning."

They all turned again, this time to Sakura, who stood in the doorway of the kitchen. She was dressed in a bulky wool sweater a shade of blue that complemented her smooth skin complexion. Faded jeans hugged her long legs and slender hips.

"I thought I was crawling into bed with Mika," she explained. "It was a mistake. And nothing happened."

"Mika's staying at the inn," Tsunade said, bustling over to give her daughter a huge hug. She stepped back. "That's right, you don't know the big news, do you?"

"Sasuke told me," Sakura replied. "Itachi and Mika. Who would have thought?" She cleared her throat and looked at the curious gazes of her siblings. "Nothing happened. It was a mistake."

"Of course nothing happened," Tsunade said. "You two are like oil and water." She kissed Sakura's cheek and smiled at Sasuke. "How could you possibly mistake Sasuke for Mika?"

"He had the covers over his head," Sakura explained.

"Well, since I don't have to worry about you two getting cozy, maybe I should just have you bunk together for the rest of the week," Tsunade teased. "Oh, and Mika is going to ask you to be her maid of honour, darling. I hope you'll say yes. Bacon or sausage?"

"I'll just have the pancakes," Sakura said, glancing across the table at Sasuke. "And you don't have to worry about me. I booked a room at the inn." She paused. "I'll be able to help Mika out. Since I'm her maid of honour. And Sasuke can have Mika's room all to himself."

Sakura searched for a spot at the table and Taka moved his seat to make a space between himself and Sasuke. Sakura reluctantly retrieved a chair and sat down. Her mother put a plate down in front of her and Sasuke picked up the pitcher of orange juice and poured her a glass. He held it out and she hesitantly took it and set it beside her plate.

They ate in silence, the both of them pretending to listen to the conversation around them. Sasuke's foot brushed against hers and she coughed on the orange juice she was drinking.

'_It was so nice to be able to touch her_,' Sasuke mused.

He felt her hand push his leg away and he reached beneath the table to grab it, weaving his fingers through hers. Her eyes grew wide as his thumb rested on her wrist, just over her pulse point.

"What's the schedule for today?" Sakura asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Mika's chosen a dress for you at the bridal shop in town and you need to go try it on this morning. The snow is getting deep. Taka will take you in his truck."

"I'll take Sakura into town," Sasuke volunteered, giving her hand a squeeze. "I have some errands to run anyway."

Tsunade smiled at Sasuke. "Thank you, dear. I knew I could count on you." She folded her hands in front of her, then looked back and forth between Sasuke and Sakura. "It's so nice to see you two together again. How long has it been?"

"Eleven years," Sakura said. She grabbed her plate and stood up. "I've got to make some calls. And I can drive myself to town. I have to check in at the inn before I go to the fitting." She sent Sasuke a cool look, then stalked out of the room.

Sasuke stood and carried his plate to the sink. "Not much has changed. Come on, Kenji, let's get that firewood loaded."

As they grabbed their jackets and walked out the back door, Kenji chuckled softly. "Oh, I think a lot has changed."

"And I'm not so sure you need help with the firewood," Sasuke replied.

"Sorry," Kenji murmured.

Sasuke used to be able to hide his feelings for Sakura. But from the moment he woke that morning to find her wrapped around his body, Sasuke knew he wanted to explore those feelings. He and Sakura weren't teenagers anymore, they were adults. And there were no rules keeping them apart. Now that there was time to test their attraction to each other, he planned to take full advantage of it.

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**AN: Thats the second chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think so far. Do you like it?? Is the chapter(s) long enough? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. ****Arigato.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews so far. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 15-20 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**Ashley Jo**

**SaukuraUchiha44530**

**pen name is**

**almostlover**

**Ch3rryB1ossom**

**cherrylossomdream**

**-PASSIIONATE-**

**no tears left to cry**

**Chris' girl 14**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**

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	4. Chapter 3

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is about the fitting and thoughts and reactions from both Sasuke and Sakura. Don't really know how to describe this chapter in short words. Hope you'll still be able to enjoy it.**

**Warning: I think through out the fic, there will be loads of fluff, drama, humor, and probably lemons... but I'm not possitively sure of where it'll pop up..**

**So here is chapter 3.. read on and enjoy!**

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**Chapter 3**

THE GENTLE SNOWFALL increased in intensity throughout the early morning. Sakura watched it from the window seat in her father's den. She'd been trying to work, making calls back and forth to the office and trying to send a report via a dial-up modem. She decided to wait until she had better Internet access at the inn and sent a text message to her assistant in the meantime.

Trying to concentrate on work had been impossible. Her mind kept returning to the bedroom upstairs and to the kiss she and Sasuke had shared. A shiver skittered down her spine and she rubbed her arms to quell the goose bumps. It was usually so easy to focus on work and now just one silly kiss—two, really—had completely consumed her thoughts.

She closed her laptop and gathered up her things; she would check into the inn right after her fitting. But right now she had to concentrate on getting to her car, which was probably buried. She remembered Sasuke's offer of a ride, but thought it best not to tempt fate. It had been far too easy to kiss him. Given another chance, who knows what they might do?

Sakura found a hodgepodge of winter outwear in the hall closet and pulled on a jacket, bots, mittens and a cap. She tucked her phone into her pocket and trudged outside to shovel. She was glad for the distraction, for something productive to occupy her thoughts.

Other things had happen in that bed and she searched the haze of her memories for details for details there had been a long, delicious dream in which Sasuke had finally succumbed to her charms. She'd spent most of her teenage years fantasizing about that moment when he'd pull her into his arms and kiss her, so it was no wonder that back in North Lake those thoughts had invaded her sleep again.

Yes, he'd kissed her. But the heavens hadn't opened and the angels hadn't sung. All right, a small chorus had made an appearance. After all, she'd have to be made of ice not to react.

As she started to shovel, she remembered the desire that had bubbled up inside of her the moment his lips touched hers. Sakura had wanted him to continue, to make the kiss a beginning rather than an end. She'd long for him to brush aside her clothes and kiss her naked skin, to pull her back to the bed and seduce her until she trembled at his touch.

She'd once fantasized that Sasuke was her Prince Charming, pure and noble. Now, she saw him as a man with a killer smile and an incredible body and a way of looking at her that made her tingle all over.

She stepped back from her task and drew a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. It probably wouldn't be difficult to let nature take its course. Sasuke had clearly seemed interested that morning—more than interested, if what was going on beneath his boxers was any indication. And it wasn't as though she'd be seducing a complete stranger. She'd been so curious for so long, now why not enjoy Sasuke while she could?

She'd left New York with her life in turmoil, searching for the key to her happiness. Sleeping with Sasuke might make her happy for the short term. Though she'd insulted his prowess in bed, Sakura suspected that she'd thoroughly enjoy being seduced by him. He was different now. A shiver skittered down her spine. He was definitely a man—a very sexy, handsome, powerful man.

She sighed, her breath clouding in front of her face. Her rational mind told her she didn't need to add any more complications to her life. But sleeping with Sasuke might not be complicated so much as exciting and dangerous and wildly satisfying. Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath. Was it really Sasuke that she wanted or just someone—anyone –who made her feel better about her life?

Sakura had nearly cleared one wheel of the car when Sasuke pulled up in an SUV. He beeped the horn at her, then rolled down the window and grinned. "Get in," he said. "I'll take you to town. You'll never get that car dug out by yourself."

Sakura held her breath as she stared at him. He'd looked handsome that morning, dressed in only his boxers, his hair mussed by sleep and a scruffy day-old beard darkening his jaw. Now, he looked almost irresistible. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and she wondered when she'd kiss him next. Sakura turned back to her shovelling, afraid that she hadn't the power to resist him. "I—I can drive myself."

"Come on, Sakura. You're not going to get the car out in any kind of reasonable time."

She glanced over her shoulder, ready to concede defeat on both the car and her immunity to his charm. Sasuke jumped out of the SUV, grabbed the shovel, stuck it into a snowdrift and held out his hand. "Come on."

Sakura stared down at his fingers, long and tapered. A memory drifted through her mind, hazy but real. He'd touched her that morning. It hadn't been part of her dream. His fingers had danced over her skin and his touch had made her body come alive.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his and he led her to his SUV. He opened the passenger-side door and helped her inside, then circled around to get in behind the wheel. In the end, she really didn't want to drive into town on her own, especially along curvy West Shore Road. All it would take was a skid into the ditch and she'd have to listen to Sasuke's repeated "I told you so."

"Buckle up," he said.

Sakura turned to him. "I think we need to get one thing clear. I'm not in love with you anymore. Any crush I might have had as a teenager is long gone. So don't act like you have me wrapped around your little finger, because you don't."

Sakura turned to stare out the window, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. She was usually so careful about her choice of words. What was it about Sasuke that made her act like a petulant teenager? Why did he always have to challenge her?

Sasuke threw the truck into gear and headed up the hill to the end of the driveway. The SUV easily handled the deep drifts and the slippery conditions. But she wasn't about to give Sasuke the satisfaction of being right.

"You were in love with me?" he asked. "When exactly was that?"

"Years ago," she murmured. "For about a week. It's all a very vague memory."

"So you aren't even slightly attracted to me now?" A grin quirked at the corners of his mouth.

"No," she lied.

He considered her answer for a long moment. "Too bad. Because I'm still kind of attracted to you. Yeah, I know. Surprising, right?"

"Still?" Sakura asked, stunned by his admission.

"Yeah, still. Hey, I always thought you were hot."

Sakura laughed out loud at the audacity of his comment. "Please," she said.

"No, I did. I do. Come on, Sakura, look at yourself. A guy would have to be crazy to think otherwise. You're beautiful and sophisticated and smart."

She wasn't sure whether he was teasing her or telling the truth. But it did make her feel better. Sakura smiled.

"All the guys were madly in love with you that summer before you left for college."

"Now you _are_ lying. But go on."

"I told them you were taken."

She frowned at him. "But I wasn't. Why would you tell them that?"

"They were only looking for one thing and I just didn't want them putting the moves on you. I didn't think you were ready for that. And maybe I felt a little possessive."

"You were the reason I left for college a virgin."

"Believe me, I would have loved to help you out on that one, but I wasn't sure I'd be the right guy for the job." He paused. "I'd assume you solved that problem a while ago."

Sakura giggled. "Are you asking if I'm a virgin? I'm twenty-eight years old."

"I was talking about finding the right guy. Kenji mentioned that you're living with some lawyer."

Sakura opened her mouth, ready to tell him that Akira was probably moving his stuff out of their apartment as they spoke. But admitting that would leave her with no defence against seduction. "Yeah. We've been together for a couple of years. What about you?"

Sakura didn't want to hear the answer. She wanted to believe that the only woman on his mind was her. But that would be unrealistic. Sasuke was an attractive, successful man.

"No one special," he said. "I guess I was saving myself for you."

She bit her bottom lip, focusing on the road ahead. Why did he say things like that? Was he testing her? Sasuke had always enjoyed teasing her, but this was different. It was as if he was daring her to take his words seriously.

They drove for a long while in silence. She took out her cell phone and began to text another message to her assistant.

"Do you take that thing with you everywhere?"

"I need to be available. People are counting on me."

"The rats would continue to race even if you weren't running alongside them. Take a break. You're supposed to be on vacation."

"Partners don't ever really go on vacation," she said. Still, she tucked the phone back into her pocket, leaving the message unfinished.

A question nagged at Sakura's brain, a question she never thought she'd have the nerve or the opportunity to ask. But it needed to be answered. "If you were so attracted to me, then why did you turn me down that night?"

He smiled, but kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "You'd just turned eighteen. I was almost twenty. I didn't think it was the right time. It was your first time and I figured that should be perfect. I wasn't sure I would be able to do that for you." He glanced over at her. "I did you a favour, Sakura. I didn't want you to regret your first experience."

Sakura sat back in the seat ad stared out the window. Though his words did a bit to soothe the memory of her humiliation, she had a hard time believing Sasuke was that noble. "I was devastated," she said.

He reached over and slipped his hand around her nape. Her pulse quickened and Sakura felt a rush of desire as his fingers tangled in her hair. "I'm sorry," he replied, gently forcing her to look at him. "But, if it will make you feel better, I'd be glad to do the job now."

She saw the wry grin on his face and Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "I'll let you know."

"Hey, I've been told I do an admirable job in the sack."

"That's because all the women you sleep with are too blinded by your pretty face. They'd say anything to keep you in their beds."

Sasuke pulled the truck over to the edge of the road and threw it out of gear. "My charm worked pretty well on you this morning."

"I was asleep."

"You said my name."

She shrugged, trying to maintain a cool façade. It wasn't working. Her hands were trembling and she felt a little light-headed. "Well, it won't work anymore. Go ahead. Kiss me. You'll see, I won't have any reaction." It was a feeble challenge and she knew he could see right through it. But she didn't care. She wanted to kiss him again and she couldn't wait any longer.

To her surprise, he accepted her challenge. Before she could even take a breath, he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her. At first, the kiss was full of frustration. But then, he softened his touch and slipped his tongue between her lips.

Sakura grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him toward her, until he was sprawled across the console, his hands furrowed through her hair. They couldn't seem to get close enough, tearing at each other's clothes, searching for something more to touch. Though she knew she ought to put a stop to it, the taste of him, the feel of his body against hers was exhilarating, like some crazy carnival ride that frightened her and thrilled her all at once.

He slipped his hand under the waist of her pants and clutched her backside, pulling her hips against his. He was aroused and Sakura enjoyed the fact that he couldn't resist her any more than she could resist him.

"What the hell are you doing to me?" he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "You have a boyfriend. You're living with him."

"We broke up," she murmured, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck.

Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back, staring down into her eyes. "Don't play games with me, Sakura."

"I'm not. I swear, we broke up. It's over."

Sasuke dragged his thumb over her bottom lip. "Can we just stop pretending then? I'm man enough to admit that I want you. And I think you want me, right?"

"Maybe," Sakura murmured.

"Not maybe," he said, shaking his head.

"All right. I'll admit that there is an interesting attraction between us."

"So what are we going to do about it?"

Sakura frowned. "I don't know. It could be complicated."

He drew back, then grinned. "When you figure out what you want, you let me know," he said.

Sakura gasped softly. Was that it? Wasn't he supposed to pull her into his arms and kiss away all her doubts? Or seduce her without any regard to her reservations? He wasn't supposed to drop the ball back in her court!

"I will," Sakura said softly.

Sasuke straightened, sliding back behind the wheel. "We should probably get going."

When they reached the small bridal shop in the village, Sasuke parked, the hopped out and circled around the front to open her door. The Uchiha boys had always had impeccable manners.

"Watch out," he said, as he grabbed her waist. "It's slippery beneath this snow." His hands lingered on her hips as his gaze fell to her mouth.

They stood there for a log moment, frozen in place, their breath clouding between them. Then Sakura pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. "I'm not playing games with you," she whispered. "I just felt like kissing you again."

"I know how that feels," he replied. His arms slipped around her waist and he pulled her body against his. Sasuke brought his hands up to her face and gently cupped her cheeks as he returned the kiss. But the sound of laughter brought an end to their momentary pleasure. Sakura turned to watch two teenage girls in the midst of a snowball fight.

"It's no one," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.

"If we do this, we can't let anyone know," she said.

"I never kiss and tell," he said.

"I'm serious. It has to stay between us. And it has to be just sex. Nothing more."

"Friends with benefits?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'll be right back," she said, glancing over at the bridal shop.

"I'll come in and wait," he said.

"Is that wise?" she asked.

"I'm not going to seduce you in a public place," he said. "And I don't think Miss Belle is going to go running to our parents to tell on us."

He followed her to the door, then pulled it open for her, placing his hand on the small of her back as she stepped inside. It was a simple gesture, but Sakura realized that Sasuke was taking any opportunity offered to touch her.

The owner of the shop, Miss Belle, greeted them both, then drew Sakura along to the fitting rooms in the back. She stopped and turned to Sasuke, motioning to him. "Are you coming, too?"

"Oh, no," Sakura said. "He's not my—well, he's just a—I don't think he'd be interested."

"I'll come," Sasuke said, sending Sakura a playful grin. "I'm very interested."

Sakura took the dress into the fitting room and slipped out of her clothes. Though the dress didn't look like much on the hanger, when she put it on it was another story. The silky fabric clung to every curve of her body; the modest neckline plunged to a deep V in the back; the long sleeves fitted to her arms. She slipped out of her bra and then turned to examine the rear view. Mika had gotten the sizing perfect and had chosen a dress that would look stunning for an evening wedding.

Sakura pulled open the fitting room door and stepped out. Sasuke had been sitting on a bench and the moment he saw her, he quickly stood, a tiny gasp slipping from his lips.

"Wow," he murmured. "That's some dress."

Sakura smoothed her hands over her hips as she turned. "It is nice, isn't it?"

"Are you wearing underwear?"

She gave him a stern look. "It's too clingy."

"So, you're not going to wear underwear. Where the hell am I supposed to put my hands when we dance?" he asked. "This is going to be a problem."

"Are we going to dance?"

"You're the maid of honour and I'm the best man. I think it's a rule than we take at least one turn around the floor."

Miss Belle hurried up and studied Sakura critically. "We'll bring the sleeves up a bit. I'd assume you plan to go…without?" She pointed to Sakura's chest.

"Do I have a choice?" Sakura asked.

"Well, we have the stick-ons."

"Can we see some of those?" Sasuke asked, a worried expression on his face.

Sakura shook her head. "This will be fine."

Miss Belle held out a shoebox. "Try the shoes so I can check the hem."

Sakura grabbed a shoe from the box and tried to put it on, but couldn't keep her balance in the long dress. Sasuke slipped his hands around her waist and steadied her as she put on the dyed-to-match pumps.

"Perfect," the shopkeeper said. "I'll be right back." Miss Belle hurried off to answer the phone, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone at the rear of the shop.

"Perfect," Sasuke repeated.

"Stop saying things like that to me," she murmured. "Sometimes I feel like you're playing with me."

He shook his head. "It's how we are, Sakura. It's how we've always been."

She turned and walked back to the fitting room, and Sasuke followed close on her heels. When she stepped inside, Sakura tried to close the door behind her, but Sasuke slipped inside, then leaned back against the door.

"In all the time that I've known you, have I ever lied to you?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura stared at her fingernails. Until that night of her eighteenth birthday, Sasuke had been the one person she knew she could count on for unadulterated honesty. "I don't think so."

"Who told you to take the toilet paper out of your bra the night of the Fourth of July dance at the park? Who told you, you looked like a giraffe when you started wearing those platform shoes? Who told you not to go out with Sai Muguruma because all he wanted to do was feel you up?"

"You did," Sakura said. "But I went out with Sai Muguruma anyway. Of course, he did try to feel me up."

"See?"

"Just because you never lie to me doesn't mean that you don't have the capacity to hurt me."

He took a step toward her, then reached out and touched her cheek. "Does that hurt?"

Sakura drew a shaky breath. It felt so good to have him touch her, his fingertips leaving a warm imprint on her skin. She shook her head. This time she wouldn't make it so easy for him. This time she'd resist him.

Sasuke took another step closer and kissed her softly on the forehead. "How about that? Tell me it feels good."

She swallowed hard, then sighed deeply as he kissed her temple. Did she have the strength? And was it wise to try and resist? It really didn't seem worth the effort. "Yes," she said. "It feels good."

He hooked his finger beneath her chin and tipped her gaze up to meet his. And then he kissed her, his tongue teasing at her lips before gently invading her mouth. But it wasn't like the kiss in the truck. This kiss was slow and sensuous, meant to melt all her resolve. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered, enjoying the rush of heat that coursed through her body.

His hand slid down her waist to her hips, then circled to smooth over her back, left bare by the cut of the dress. Sakura's mind whirled as she tried to remember every detail of the kiss, forcing herself not to slip into some hazy state of desire. But in the end, it was impossible to maintain her composure. Sasuke seemed determined to prove that he was quite possibly the best kisser in the entire world.

When his hand moved to her breast, she moaned softly. He grazed his thumb across her nipple, bringing it to a hard peak, sending a wild wave of pleasure coursing through her. When he finally drew back, Sakura was dizzy with excitement. Her breath was coming in quick gasps and her pulse was pounding in her head.

"If that ever stops feeling good, you just let me know and I'll stop," Sasuke whispered. He kissed the tip of her nose, then walked out of the fitting room, closing the door behind him.

Sakura stumbled back until she leaned against the mirrored wall for support. Her trembling fingers touched her lips and she felt a smile growing there. After all these years, it was hard to believe that all her fantasies about Sasuke might just come true.

There was something powerful pulsing between them and it didn't look like either one of them had the capacity—or the will—to stop it. And that made it all the more exciting—and dangerous.

* * *

**AN: Thats the third chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think so far. Do you like it?? Is the chapter(s) long enough? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. **

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews so far. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 30-35 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Chapter 4 is on the work... and thanks for the great team work.. Hope you appreciate this fast update..I can only fast update every weekend but on the weekdays will be slow updates because of me working. Hope you can understand the situation. Arigato.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**Ashley Jo, ****SaukuraUchiha44530, ****pen name is, ****almostlover, ****Ch3rryB1ossom, ****cherrylossomdream, ****-PASSIIONATE-, ****no tears left to cry, ****Chris' girl 14 and to everyone else that reviewed. Again arigato.. I love all of you, you make me sooo happy!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	5. Chapter 4

****

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is where Itachi and Mika comes in and the start of little complications...between Itachi and Mika and especially Sasuke and Sakura. Hope you'll still be able to enjoy it.**

**Warning: I think there's lime ahead.. with drama and humour and I can't remember what else. This is a long chapter to say thank you to everybody that's supporting my fic!! Arigato!**

**So here is chapter 4.. read on and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"THE UCHIHARU SNOW BOWL begins in fifteen minutes!" Kensei called.

Sasuke and Itachi looked over their shoulders at their brother and gave him a wave. "We'll be ready," Sasuke shouted.

They sat on the stairs that, in the summer, led down to the dock and beach they shared with the Harunos. The lake was frozen over and covered with snow, but Kenji Haruno had cleared an area big enough for skating or a pick-up hockey game.

Sasuke stretched his legs out in front of him and watched the last of the snowflakes drift lazily through the air. The storm was over and everything was covered with a sparkly powder. "So you're getting married."

Itachi smiled as he traced a pattern in the snow with a stick. "That's what I hear."

"I gotta tell you, Itachi, I was surprised when I heard you were engaged to Mika. But then when I heard you were getting married so quickly, I was kinda shocked. A month and a half is a pretty short engagement, don't you think?"

"Maybe."

"How much time have you two really spent together?"

Itachi shrugged. "Three summers, here at the lake house. And then I visited her in Boston over Thanksgiving and we got together during Christmas break in Chicago and we just decided we didn't want to be apart anymore."

"Why not live together then?" Sasuke asked. "Give yourself some more time."

"Because Mika wants to get married," Itachi said.

"What do you want?"

"Why so many questions?" Itachi asked, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.

"That's my job as your best man. To be sure you're making the best choices."

"I want what Mika wants. I want to make her happy," Itachi said.

Sasuke hadn't been thrilled when he heard about his little brother's plan to get married, but he chalked that up to surprise. But now that he had a chance to spend some time with Itachi and talk to him, Sasuke realized that twenty-two was far too young to take such a giant step.

He'd spent the last ten years working his way through a variety of females, trying to figure out what made them tick, enjoying the full spectrum of pleasures in their beds. But it was only in the past year that he'd really come to understand what he needed in a relationship and the kind of woman he wanted to spend his life with. Itachi hadn't even started on that journey and already he was tying himself down. How could anyone know they were in love at that age? Neither Itachi nor Mika had experienced anything of the world yet.

"You're not even finished with college," Sasuke murmured.

"Mika graduates in the spring and she's just got a few independent study courses, so she'll be spending more time in Chicago. I'll finish at Northwestern at Christmas next year and then I'm thinking about law school. If we get married, we can start planning our lives together—and she can support me while I'm getting my law degree."

"You can do all that without getting married," Sasuke said.

Itachi groaned, then leaned back on his elbows, staring out at the wide landscape of the lake. "Maybe I should have asked Kensei to be my best man. Or Mika's brother Kenji."

"Marriage is a big step, Itachi. You have to get married for the right reasons."

"What reasons would those be?"

"Because you can't imagine living without her. Because every time you look at her, you have to touch her, just to make sure she's real and she's yours. Because she's the first thing you think about in the morning when you get up and the last thing you think about before you go to sleep."

Sasuke drew a deep breath. This was the sum total of his knowledge about living happily ever after. It was what he'd decided it would take to tempt him into settling down for the rest of his life. And oddly enough, Sakura seemed to meet all those requirements.

A shiver skittered down his spin. Women were supposed to confuse lust and love, not men. Still, Sasuke couldn't ignore his feelings. Things weren't the same as when they were kids. There was something deeper…something stronger drawing them together now.

He glanced over at Itachi. "I'd hate to think you're doing this to please Mrs. Haruno and our mother. All that Uchiharu shit is really silly. We can still be one big family, even if we aren't technically related."

"It's not about that," Itachi said.

"What is it, then?"

"We just want to start our lives together."

"I know it seems like you'll never get enough of her, but that kind of desire doesn't last. It's not all about sex," Sasuke said. "There has to be something more."

"Oh, we haven't had sex," Itachi said. "Mika wanted to wait until we got married."

Sasuke gasped. "You haven't—I mean, not even a little?"

"Well, a little. But not the whole way."

Sasuke groaned and buried his face in his hands. "How can you possibly make a decision about the rest of your life when you don't even know if you're compatible in the bedroom?"

"Lots of people wait," he said. "And it's not like I haven't done it. And Mika has, too. We just haven't done it together."

"Well, maybe you should," Sasuke said. "Just to make sure." Hell, he'd never even tried to regulate his own desires for women—and since Sakura had arrived back in town, Sasuke didn't even feel in control of his libido. How did a guy just put those feelings on the back burner? Wasn't tit scientifically proven that abstaining wasn't good for the male body?

He took a deep breath. "Why not just wait a little longer? It couldn't hurt."

"I love her," Itachi said. "And she loves me."

"I love Mika, too," Sasuke said. "And Sakura and Kenji and Taka and Daisuke. The Harunos are like our family." Sasuke sighed softly, searching for another argument that made sense. Who was he to try to explain what went on between a man and a woman?

Hell, he couldn't begin to fathom his obsessive attraction to Sakura. All he knew was that it felt good when he was with her, so good that he never wanted to let her go.

He pushed to his feet and offered his little brother a hand. "Come on. If I know Kensei, he's going to want to strategize before we get the game going. The last time we played football with the Harunos, they beat us bad. They've got Daisuke's wife now and she's gone through natural childbirth three times. She's no wuss."

"And Sakura plays like a guy," Itachi said.

"Don't worry about Sakura, I can handle her. You just take care of Mika."

Itachi grinned. "Until we're married, she's still a Haruno. And the enemy."

They walked up to the lawn, now covered in a foot of powdery snow. After a few minutes, all the players were congregated at the centre of the field. When Sasuke saw Sakura, he gave her a wave and she returned his greeting with a hesitant smile. She looked so cute bundled up against the cold that it didn't take more than a moment for his mind to begin a fantasy of slowly peeling off all those layers of clothes. Sasuke drew a sharp breath and closed his eyes. Now was not the time to think about getting naked with Sakura!

Once everyone was gathered, Kensei raised his hand. "Welcome to the first, and possibly only, Uchiharu Snow Bowl. In the tradition of our annual summer Toilet Bowl football game, we have decided to bring back the time-honoured trophy." He pulled a toilet plunger from behind his back and everyone laughed and clapped, surprised to see the trophy after so long.

"The last time this was awarded was eleven years ago last summer and, according to the inscription, it was won by the Harunos."

"On a touchdown run by Sakura," Sasuke said. He looked at her. "Remember? Daisuke threw you the ball and you just took off down the field. No one could catch you."

She gave him an odd look. "I don't remember that."

Sasuke shrugged. "I do. It was a great play."

He slowly walked around the perimeter of the crowd as Kensei went over the rules, stopping when he stood behind Sakura. His gaze fixed on Itachi and Mika. "They look happy," he murmured. "What do you think?"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder at him. "Yes," she replied.

Kensei pointed to the list of winners, written on the wooden handle with a marker. "Our captains today will be Itachi and Mika. By my count, we've got even teams with Daisuke's wife, Shizune, and Hinata's husband, Naruto, so no one has to sit out."

Kenji disagreed. "We have three guys and three girls and you've got four guys and two girls. You call that even?"

"Naruto just had knee surgery last year," Kensei said. "And Shizune played college soccer. I'd say it's even."

The coin was flipped and the game begun. Kensei played quarterback for the Uchiha team and when he went out for a long pass to Hinata, Sakura stepped out in front of her and snagged an interception.

She started off down the sideline and Sasuke took off after her, making up the distance between them in a few seconds. He grabbed Sakura around the waist and picked her up off her feet, then fell into the snow near the goal line, taking the impact with his body.

They'd play in this rough-and-tumble fashion when they were kids and back then it had been fun. But now, lying beneath Sakura, her body stretched out on top of his, the game had taken on a sexual element.

"This is supposed to be touch football!" she cried.

"And I'm touching you," Sasuke murmured. "Although not the way I'd like to touch you." He rolled Sakura beneath him, pinning her body to the ground with his. "We have to talk," he said softly.

She wriggled beneath him, trying to escape. "If you think you can convince me to throw this game," she whispered, "just because you kissed me then—"

"Later," he replied as he saw Kensei approach. Sasuke rolled off her and helped her up and then brushed the snow off her backside, before sending her across the scrimmage line to her team. "Good catch," he shouted.

A change of possession put Sasuke on offense and he took a handoff from Kensei and headed down the field. He saw Sakura coming toward him and he knew she was prepared to hit him hard. That's what he liked about Sakura. She never backed off from a challenge. But instead of running away, he waited, slowing his run until she caught up.

Sasuke feinted to the left, then the right, but Sakura surprised him by countering his moves. When Sasuke realized he wasn't going to shake her, he bent over, grabbed her around the waist and carried her toward the end zone with him. But Sakura knocked the ball out of his hand as he ran.

"Fumble!" she shouted.

Kenji was right behind them and he picked up the ball and started toward the other end zone. Sasuke turned and dropped Sakura into the snow, then ran after Kenji, but Sakura grabbed his leg and pulled him down. When he was lying on his stomach, she crawled on top of him, straddling his hips, and watched as Kenji scored.

She bounced up and down as she cheered for her brother, the movement causing a definite reaction on his part. Cursing softly, Sasuke rolled over and dumped her into the snow, picking up a handful and rubbing it in her face.

"You are such a bad sport," Sakura cried, grabbing a fistful of snow and throwing it at him. She wrestled him to his back, pinning his arms on either side of his head.

"Kiss me," he murmured.

Sakura frowned. "Not here. Everyone will see."

Sasuke brushed the snow out of her hair. "Where? When?"

"Later," Sakura said. "After dinner."

"Meet me at the boathouse," he said.

Sakura shook her head, then got to her feet, running back to her team. She turned around and looked back at him once, smiling, teasingly taunting him. "You're gonna lo-ose," she sang. "You're gonna lo-ose."

She did a little dance, wiggling her backside, and Sasuke chuckled. God, she was sexy. As he watched her walk away, he thought about what it would be like to have an entire night alone with her. To have all the time in the world to seduce her. To slowly undress her and touch her body and make her moan with pleasure. She'd been the stuff of his adolescent fantasies. But now, the things he dreamed about doing with her—to her—weren't things he could have even imagined back then.

"Sasuke!"

He glanced up to see Kensei staring at him. "Look alive," his brother shouted. "Keep your head in the game."

They played for exactly and hour and, in the end, the trophy went to the Haruno family on a last-minute touchdown pass from Daisuke to his wife, Shizune.

As they walked back up to the house, Sasuke lagged behind, his gaze fixed on Sakura. He wondered how things might have been between them if he had accepted her offer that night eleven years ago. Would they be here, in the same place, still lusting after each other? Or might they look at each other with embarrassment or regret rather than anticipation and excitement?

Maybe things had worked out exactly as they were supposed to that summer. But what happened between them this week was still in the hands of fate. And it would either begin or end in the boathouse tonight.

* * *

DINNER WAS A BOISTEROUS EVENT with both families sharing chilli and corn bread in the Uchihas' huge family room. After dinner, Sasuke and Sakura joined Itachi and Mika in a game of Monopoly, but Sakura could barely concentrate. Sasuke had taken to playing a game of footsie beneath the table, running his stocking foot over hers in a very seductive manner.

Sakura kept her gaze focused on the board, trying to control her wildly beating heart. There had been men in her life who had touched her in the most intimate ways and she'd barely reacted. All Sasuke had to do was rub her foot and she felt like tearing his clothes off and jumping his bones.

"Park Place," Itachi said as Mika landed on his property. "Let's see. That will be twelve hundred yen, please."

Sasuke chuckled as he scrutinized Itachi's stash of cash. "Looks like you almost have enough for that motorcycle you want to buy."

Itachi shot his brother a cold look and Mika immediately frowned. "What motorcycle?"

"Itachi's going to buy a motorcycle after you get married," Sasuke said as he straightened his property cards. "Our mother wouldn't let him, but once he's married, she can't say anything since you'd be in charged." He fixed Mika with an inquisitive gaze, waiting for her response.

Sakura thought it was an odd turn in the conversation. She sent him a frown and he just smiled and began to count his money.

"You can't get a motorcycle," Mika said. "They're dangerous. I won't let you."

"But, Mi-chan, it would be practical. We can't afford two cars. And the gas would be cheap."

"No," Mika said stubbornly. "I won't allow it."

Itachi straightened, his expression growing petulant. "What is that supposed to mean, you won't allow it? You're not my mother."

"Itachi should be able to make his own decisions," Sasuke murmured.

Sakura gave him a swift kick beneath the tale and he winced.

"Ow!" he cried. Itachi and Mika looked at him and he forced a smile. "Cramp. To much football in the snow." He snatched up his money and handed t to Sakura. "I'm going to cash out now."

Sakura looked back and forth between the glowering expressions on Itachi's and Mika's faces to the smug smile on Sasuke's. He'd started this argument on purpose. "So am I," Sakura said.

"Sasuke is right," Itachi countered. "I'm an adult. I should be able to do what I want."

"Who's going to pay for this motorcycle?" Mika said. "Not me. And if you think you're going to use any of our wedding money, you'd better think again."

Sakura quickly stood and followed Sasuke to the kitchen. He set his glass in the sink, then called out to his parents, who were playing cards with Sakura's mother and father. "I'm going to go down to the boathouse and see if I can get the heat going. We're going to need the extra room."

"And I'm going back to the inn," Sakura said. "I have to make some calls. I'll see you all tomorrow." Their mutual exit caused no undue interest. Sasuke helped her on with her jacket and they walked out the front door together.

When they got outside, he grabbed her hand and drew her along with him, toward the path down to the lake. "Sasuke, maybe we should— Where are we going?"

"The boathouse. I could use some help getting the heat going. You can hold my tools."

Sakura laughed, then fell into step beside him. The crisp night air heightened her senses and she felt her heart skip, knowing what would happen once they were alone. Sakura had never considered herself a very passionate woman. She'd always been able to control her desire. But with Sasuke, she seemed to be constantly fixated on sex.

Though she had good intentions of playing it cool, everything fell apart the moment he touched her. Her rational side could come up with an entire list of reasons why she shouldn't sleep with Sasuke. But then her pulse began pounding and she felt a tiny bit lightheaded and her brain stopped working entirely. It felt good to just let go, to feel something so strongly that it completely consumed her. She hadn't felt like this since that night with Sasuke on the beach eleven years ago.

But was she really ready to do this? For the past few months, she'd felt an emptiness inside her, as if her life had ceased to make her happy. It would be easy to fill that emptiness with Sasuke. And maybe she would feel better for a while. Still, Sakura didn't want to believe that she needed a man to be happy. She probably just needed really good sex.

At least she was now old enough to know the difference between desire and love. If she did surrender to physical attraction, Sakura would be able to control her emotions. Sasuke was the last person she would allow herself to love. In truth, he was the only man she'd known who had the capacity to break her heart. And that made him dangerous.

And yet, she wasn't afraid. Instead, she felt liberated. She could finally act on her desire for Sasuke and explore just how deep it ran. She didn't have to pretend anymore. He wanted her and she wanted him, and neither one of them had to deny it.

The shadow of the Uchihas' boathouse, built into the slope of the shoreline, loomed at the edge of the lake. The lower level held the Uchihas' small sailboat and their vintage motorboat, but the upper level was a small apartment that they often used for guests. It was fully furnished with a bed and a sofa and a small kitchen and bath. The windows had been shuttered for the winter, giving the place a cold and uninviting look.

Sasuke held her hand as she carefully climbed the snow-covered stairs. Sakura glanced back over her shoulder to see the trail of their footprints in the moonlight. "They're going to know we were out here together," she said.

"I just asked you to give me a hand," Sasuke said. "It was a perfectly innocent request."

Sakura took a ragged breath and clenched fingers inside her jacket pocket. Just the thought of running her hands over his body, of having the freedom to touch him, to undress him, made her mind spin. She knew what would happen when they were alone and she wasn't afraid. All she could feel was an overwhelming anticipation.

When they reach the landing, Sasuke pushed the door open and then walked inside. She followed and heard the door shut behind her. The moment it did, Sakura felt his hands on her face. His lips met hers and a heartbeat later they were lost in a deep and stirring kiss.

"I've been thinking about you all day," he murmured against her mouth.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, her breath coming in quick gasps.

"About what would happen once we were alone again."

"Tell me," she said. "What did you imagine?"

It was so dark inside the boathouse that they couldn't see anything, but she could feel his heat against her body, his warm breath against her cheek. The lack of sight seemed to heighten all her other senses and she shivered as she felt his lips brush across her cold cheek.

"I imagined that you'd stand in front of me and slowly take all your clothes off. And then, I'd finally be able to touch you. And I'd be able to see if it felt as good as I dreamed it would."

Sakura unzipped her jacket and let it fall to the floor behind her. Then, she pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it aside. She wore a thin T-shirt beneath, barely enough to protect her from the cold. But strangely, she didn't notice the temperature. Her heart was beating so fast that her skin didn't even prickle into goose bumps.

Sasuke reached out and ran his hands down her bare arm, then grabbed her hand and kissed the centre of her palm. "Wait here," he murmured. "The circuit box is in the closet."

He disappeared into the darkness and Sakura leaned back against the door, her heart pounding. She heard him fumbling around on the far side of the room and a moment later, a match flared. The flame illuminated the interior of the boathouse, casting wavering shadows on the wall. Sasuke lit a lantern and set it down on the bedside table. Then he turned to her, motioning her closer.

Sakura rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling the cold along with a rush of nerves. It was easier in the dark, like a dream, two bodies connected only by touch. But now that she could see the bed, could look into Sasuke's eyes, it had all become very real.

"Let me see if I can get the heat going," he said. He walked past her to the opposite wall and leaned inside the closet. A switch clicked. A moment later, he bent over the radiator and nodded. "It's working."

Sasuke moved back toward her, taking off hid jacket along the way. He was the boy she'd always known, every feature still there—the dark lashes and brows, the penetrating dark onyx eyes, the straight nose and sensuous mouth. But with age, his features had become even more captivating, more compelling. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

When he stood in front of her, Sakura reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his skin to her touch. "What are we doing here?" she murmured, pressing her lips to his chest.

"I have no idea," Sasuke replied, "but I don't want to stop."

He smoothed his hands up her back and Sakura shivered at the sensation of his touch. "This is going to be impossible," she murmured, nuzzling her face into his neck.

"We're in the same state, living minutes apart. How is that impossible?" he pulled her along to the bed. "We have heat and light and a comfortable bed. What happens here is just us, no one else. I promise."

"This could change everything," Sakura said as he kissed her neck.

Sasuke grabbed her waist and they tumbled onto the bed, the covers cold on her bare skin. "I'm counting on that," he said.

Sakura reached up to run her fingers through his dark hair and smiled. "You know, I really don't think we should do this. You're not ready and it wouldn't be right and I just don't think of you in that way."

He frowned, pushing back. "You don't?"

"I just don't have _those_ kinds of feelings for you, Sasuke," she murmured, deepening her voice to make the imitation more obvious.

She watched as a slow smile broke across his face. He'd said those same words to her that night on the beach. "I lied," Sasuke said. "Believe me, I did have those feelings."

His admission stunned her. "Really?"

"For a long time."

"How long?"

"Remember that red striped bikini you had? You were fourteen that summer."

Sakura nodded.

"Since then. I remember I saw you in that bikini and later that night I was thinking about you and your body and how smooth your skin was and how perfect your breasts were and then I—well, you know."

"I do?"

"What? You want me to say it? I pleasured myself as teenage boys do on occasion. Hey, grown men do it, too." He chuckled softly. "All I remember is, from that summer on, being around you was pure torture."

Sakura smiled, satisfied with the admission. So the infatuation hadn't been unreciprocated. Oddly enough, that did make a difference. Why not make both of their fantasies come true? "So what else were you thinking about?" she asked as she dropped a line of kisses across his chest.

He pressed his mouth to her shoulder, gently biting as he kissed her. "I wasn't very experienced back then. I was still technically a virgin. But I thought about what you'd look like naked." Sasuke pulled up her T-shirt and trailed a line of kisses from her belly to a spot beneath her breasts.

Sakura sat up and straddled his hips, then slowly pulled her T-shirt over her head. She remembered doing the same thing eleven years ago. But then, she'd been so nervous her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Now, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world, to crave his touch, to offer him more.

Sasuke smiled as he reached out and cupped her breast in his hand, teasing at her nipple with his thumb. And then, in one easy motion, he sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his mouth against her neck. He trailed kisses from her collarbone to her breasts as he unhooked her bra. Finally, he drew the hard nub of her nipple into his mouth.

She arched her back, holding her breath as he pulled her back down with him. Sakura remembered how fascinated she'd been with his body, watching a change from summer to summer as he slowly became a man. She was as desperate to touch it now as she had been then. Grabbing the front of his shirt, she worked at the remaining buttons, then brushed it off his shoulder until his chest was completely bare.

She drew back, staring at him as she tossed aside her bra. Her fingers lazily following the line of hair that ran from his collarbone to his belly. Now he was fully formed, his shoulders broad, his body lean and hard, a body only a woman could appreciate.

Sakura bent forward and pressed a kiss to his chest, then gently sucked on his nipple. What began as curiosity had now taken on a very intimate feeling. He groaned softly, then murmured her name. a shiver skittered over her exposed skin. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"No," she lied.

He chuckled softly, grabbing her by the waist and pulling their bodies together in a warm embrace. They kissed for a long time, hands touching, mouths tasting. It was everything she'd always thought it would be, yet more. It wasn't just about sex, it was about…trust.

He ran his hands through her hair, then pressed his forehead against hers. "Spend the night with me."

"Not here."

"Where then?"

"At the inn. We'll have more privacy there."

"What about Mika?"

"Her room is on the second floor and mine's on the third. There's a back stairway. I'll let you in and no one will know you're there."

Sasuke kissed her forehead, his lips warm and damp. "Have you talked to Mika yet? I mean, about the wedding."

Sakura shook her head. "No. I told her I'd meet her for lunch tomorrow and I thought we'd have some time then."

"What do you think about this marriage? Do you think they're ready?"

"No!" Sakura frowned, pushing up on her elbow. "Not at all. They're so young. I thought I was the only one who had concerns. Everyone is just so thrilled that our families will finally be related. But no one is even thinking about what will happen if the marriage doesn't work."

"I agree," Sasuke said. "I don't think they're ready."

Sakura crossed her arms over his chest and stared into his eyes. "You started that fight between them on purpose, didn't you?"

"Someone has to shake some sense into them." He paused. "We need a plan. A coordinated effort between the two of us. If we go at it from both sides, maybe we'll be able to convince them to wait."

"I don't think they'll consider waiting. Everything is moving so fast and I'm sure they feel they'd be disappointing the families."

Sasuke reached out and brushed her hair away from her temple, his gaze skimming over her face. "I talked to Itachi this afternoon and he's just going along with what Mika wants."

Sakura gasped. "You think she talked him into this?"

"Maybe. I can't imagine he really wants to get married. What guy in his right mind would want a wife at twenty-two?"

"Well, he's the one who asked her," Sakura said. "If he didn't want to get married, why did he ask?"

"She probably pressured him," Sasuke said.

Sakura pulled out of his embrace and sat up, stunned by his comment and eager to defend her sister. "Mika wouldn't do that."

"I'm just saying that usually women are the ones who press for the wedding," Sasuke said.

"And you come by this knowledge how?" Sakura asked. "Have you been manipulated into an engagement recently?"

"No, just the opposite. Every woman I've ever met has had marriage in the back of her mind. Come on, even you've thought about it. Wondered what it would be like if you and I…you know."

Sakura scrambled off the bed. Marrying Sasuke was the last thing on her mind! And if he thought she had any designs on his future, he was sadly mistaken. "I think this was a mistake," she murmured, crawling off the bed. She searched the floor for her bra and T-shirt.

"Come on, Sakura, don't be mad. I didn't mean to imply that—"

"No, I understand," she said as she pulled the shirt over her head. "You just assumed I wanted more than just…sex." She drew a ragged breath, shoving her bra in her back pocket. "See, that's why we shouldn't do this. Unless we're agreed on the reasons, it's bound to get very messy."

"Is it?" he asked.

She snatched up her sweater from the floor and tugged it back over her head. "I have to go."

Sasuke sat up and reached for her, but she avoided his grasp. "Sakura, come on. I was just teasing. I didn't mean anything by it."

She shook her head. "I do agree about Mika and Itachi. They're too young. You and I don't even know what we want. How would they?"

Sasuke grabbed her hand. "I know what I want," he said.

She stared down at their fingers, intertwined so tightly that she couldn't tell his from hers. Sakura fought the temptation to strip off her clothes again and just forget her fears. But if she jumped into bed with Sasuke tonight, there would be no going back. "I'll talk to Mika."

"When will I see you again?" Sasuke asked.

"You're going to see me all week."

"You know what I mean."

Sakura bit her lower lip. "I don't know. Maybe we ought to forget this. It just makes things too complicated."

"I'm not sure I can," he replied.

"Try, Sasuke," she murmured. Sakura walked to the door, then turned back to look at him. "Try really hard."

* * *

**AN: Thats the fourth chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. **

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 50-60 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Chapter 5 is on the works...but I think it will not be as long as the previous chapters with the word count of past 2,000 I think.. so far so please forgive me if it comes out as a short chapter this following days.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	6. Chapter 5

****

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is the morning after reactions of Sasuke and Sakura.. Sasuke feels jealous and maybe a little possessive too! Hope you'll enjoy it even though its a short chapter. I hope you forgive me for such a short chapter.**

**Warning: Sasuke's jealousy.. Arigato!**

**So here is chapter 5.. read on and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

SASUKE STEERED HIS SUV around a sharp curve on West Shore Road, his mother's grocery list clutched in his hand. He had an appointment for his tux fitting and then his mother wanted him to buy three "nice" chickens. He wasn't sure what qualified a chicken as nice, but he'd figure it out when he got to the grocery store.

The truck skidded and he took his foot off the accelerator, startled out of his thoughts. He'd gotten about two or three hours of sleep last night. The rest of his time in bed was trying to figure out just how he'd managed to screw things up with Sakura.

Maybe the forces of the universe were sending him a message—don't mess with Sakura Haruno. But though he'd considered heeding the message, his body didn't want to listen. Every time he came within ten feet of her, he found himself lost in another sexual fantasy.

This was his penance for keeping all his desire bottled up so long ago. It had increased over the years, like pressure in a simmering pot, until he was left with a need for Sakura that threatened to boil over. He wanted to kiss her and touch her, to strip off her clothes and enjoy the pleasures of her body. He'd waited years and now that she was with him again, he wanted to make it happen.

But could it just be casual sex? Would he be able to enjoy the act and walk away, no strings attached? From the moment he found her lying next to him in bed, he'd felt it. A deep-rooted connection, not diminished by time, but strengthened. She could never be just a physical release for him. Sex with Sakura would have to mean something. But what?

Sasuke groaned, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "It's just too complicated," he muttered, repeating her words. But it didn't seem at all complicated in his mind. In truth, seducing Sakura felt like the most natural thing he'd ever done.

How long had he been searching for a woman just like her, a woman he could feel entirely comfortable with, a woman who didn't try to make herself into something she thought he wanted.

Sasuke had seen it all—the sexpot, the girl-next-door, the doting wife, the perfect mother of his children. They'd all tried to be something they weren't. He'd known Sakura so long that she couldn't hide behind a façade. And if she tried, he would see right through it.

"Just take it slow," he told himself. He'd been able to resist her when he was younger and far less experience with the opposite sex. It shouldn't be that difficult to bide his time.

His mind flashed back to an image of Sakura, straddling his waist, tugging her T-shirt over her head. Sasuke's fingers twitched as he recalled the feel of her flesh beneath his hands, the taste of her skin, the scent of her hair. He drew a ragged breath and tried to banish the image from his mind and focus on something else.

He noticed a car ahead of him on the road and slowed, but the sedan wasn't moving. Instead, it was tilted at an odd angle. As he approached, Sasuke realized the car looked familiar—as did the figure standing at the front bumper. He carefully pulled over, then hopped out of the truck.

The moment Sakura saw him, she turned away and shook her head. "Don't even say it," she muttered.

"Who taught you to drive?" he teased.

A reluctant smile broke across her face. "You did. Remember? You took me out in that old Cutlass you bought, then proceeded to yell at me for the entire lesson."

"You've forgotten everything I taught you, grasshopper," he teased, running his finger along her cheek. This time Sasuke fought the urge to kiss her and instead moved to the front of the car to examine the situation.

"We didn't cover ice and snow, if you recall."

"And how are you planning to get your car back on the road? By sheer force of will?"

"Maybe you could give me a push?"

"Not gonna work." Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets. It took every ounce of his willpower just to keep from touching her. He never remembered her hold over him being this strong, but it must have been. How had he managed to say no the night of her eighteenth birthday? He shook his head. "It's going to take an hour of shovelling and two or three guys to get you out of this snowbank. I can go back home and get a chain and see if I can pull you out. Or I'll get Kenji and my brothers and we can shovel and push."

"My hero," Sakura said with a mocking smile.

Sasuke's smile faded. He was short on sleep and tired of this game they played. Why did everything always have to be a challenge? "Am I? After last night, I thought you might not like me anymore."

Sakura shrugged. "I like you. That's not going to change."

"I shouldn't have said those things about your sister."

She drew a deep breath and sighed, then reached out and touched his arm, as if to reassure herself that they were alright. "I'm as worried as you are. I'm having lunch with her later. I was hoping I'd get a better sense of what she's thinking."

"You know, they haven't had sex yet," Sasuke said.

Sakura blinked, stunned by the revelation. "Really? They're both virgins?"

"No. They've both had sex, just not with each other. They're saving it for marriage."

"That changes everything," Sakura said, her eyes wide. "I mean, I think it's an admirable concept, but it still worries me. Sex is an important part of a relationship. What if they aren't compatible in bed?"

"Exactly," Sasuke said. "Maybe we need to have one of those—what do you call them—interventions. We'll sit them both down and make sure they know what they're getting into and encourage them to do it."

"But we can really speak with any authority," Sakura said. "Neither one of us has been engaged or married so why would they listen to us?"

"And we haven't had sex," Sasuke said. "At least, not with each other."

"Well, we are older…and wiser. That should count for something."

Sasuke considered their dilemma. "You know, we grew up in the same household with our siblings. I guess if the sex was great between us, don't you think the sex would be great between Itachi and Mika?"

"Are you suggesting we have sex so that we can use our experience to break up Itachi and Mika's wedding? What if the sex were great?"

"Oh, it would be great," Sasuke said. "I know that for a fact."

"How?"

"By the way you touch me. And by the way you react to my touch. It would be great between us. Maybe Itachi and Mika have that feeling, too. Maybe that's why they've been saving it."

He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand, running his thumb over her lower lip. Sakura closed her eyes and tipped her head back, waiting for his kiss. He held back, if only to prove a point. She wanted him and all he had to do was touch her to make her desire burn. He bent close and brushed his lips across hers.

"See," he murmured. "I just kiss you and you melt."

Sakura smiled as she looked at him, then ran her knuckles against the zipper of his jeans. "And what about you?" she asked. "I just touch you and you do the opposite."

Sasuke groaned. "All I've been thinking about since last night is getting you back in my bed. If I thought I'd have to wait another day to touch you again, I think I'd cut a hole in the ice and jump in the lake."

"Don't do that," Sakura teased. "That water is cold and the shrinkage would be horrible."

He laughed, the sound echoing off the trees. "The way you talk. Do you talk to other men in your life like this?"

"Right now, you're the only man in my life. And it's easy to talk to you." She paused. "You're my oldest friend, Sasuke. I can say anything to you." She drew a deep breath. "I guess I didn't realize that until now. We haven't seen each other in eleven years and it seems as if nothing's changed. And yet everything has."

"I know," he said. "But it's not all bad." He kissed her again. "So we're okay. About last night?"

"I didn't sleep at all." Sakura leaned back against the hood of the car.

"I didn't, either. I'm starting to think we'd do a lot better if we slept together." Sasuke rested his hands on her waist and stared down into her eyes. "You know you can't live without me."

"I know I can't get my car out of the snow without you," she countered.

He stepped back and carefully examined the task at hand. But the sound of an approaching car caught their attention and Sasuke watched as an SUV with police lights stopped on the opposite side of the road. The policeman jumped out of the truck and strolled across the road.

"I thought that was you," he said. "What's up, Sakura?"

"Hey, Sai," Sakura called, giving the cop a friendly wave.

"If you tell me this happened while you were talking on your cell phone, you know I'm going to have to arrest you."

"I'm not used to the snow. I skidded on the curve and the next thing I knew, I was in the snowbank."

"I've got a tow chain in the truck. I'll pull you out."

Sasuke watched as Sakura gave the guy a dazzling smile. "Could you?" she asked. "That would really be great."

"I'm here to serve," he said with a crooked grin. He looked over at Sasuke and nodded. "Hey, buddy, you can be on your way. I'll help the lady with her problem."

Sakura turned to Sasuke. "Well, that saves us both some time. Aren't we lucky he came along?"

Sasuke felt a surge of jealousy course through his body. The reaction stunned him. He remembered feeling that way when they'd been younger, when she'd turned her eyes toward other boys. But Sasuke had assumed he'd outgrown that particular emotion. "You know each other?"

"That's Sai Muguruma. You remember him. He used to work at the marina. He lived in town. He's the police chief now."

"That's Sai Muguruma?" As a teenager, Muguruma considered himself the Casanova of the precollege crowd. He had girls falling at his feet and, according to rumour, he usually picked them up, seduced them and ten tossed them aside for new conquests. The guys used to tease him that he'd have to take a second job in order to pay for the condoms he used. "Yeah, I remember him."

"He stopped me the night I got into town. I was talking on my cell phone. He let me off with a warning."

"You can't go out with him," Sasuke said.

Sakura gasped. "He hasn't asked me out."

"He's planning to. I can tell by the look in his eyes. And you can't go out with him. He's a player."

"You know, you used to tell me who I could and couldn't date when we were kids and I used to listen to you," Sakura said. "But I'm a big girl now and I can run my own life."

"That's because you were too naïve to see what guys really wanted."

"It's no wonder that I remained a virgin until I got to college. I was seriously beginning to develop a complex." She paused. "And I know exactly what _you_ want. So see, I have learned a few things." Sakura shook her head. "One moment, you're trying to talk me into bed and the next, you're acting like my big brother. No wonder I'm so mixed up."

"I don't want to be your big brother," Sasuke said.

"Then stop telling me how to run my life."

God, she could be so stubborn at times. Was she this way with all men or was it just him? "Well, I guess you don't need me or my advice. Officer Sai can take care of all your needs. Automotive and otherwise."

Sakura stared at him. "What is this? Are you jealous?"

The accusation stung, even though it was true. Sasuke trudged back up to the road and Sakura trailed after him, stumbling in the deep drift that the plows had pushed aside. He grabbed her waist and helped her through the snow, then brushed off her pant legs when she reached the pavement. "I gotta go try on my tux. I'll see you later. Good luck with Mika."

"Sasuke, I—"

"I'll talk to you later," he repeated. He strode back to his truck and hopped inside, then skidded out on the road, heading towards town. There were moments when he wondered what he found so fascinating about Sakura Haruno. She seemed to go out of her way to exasperate him. If she thought for even a moment that he was dictating her, she'd dig in her heels and refuse to move.

No, he didn't want to act like her older brother! He had far more carnal interests than that. He looked at her as a woman, a beautiful, sexy, desirable woman. And he wanted her to see him as a man, not that guy who used to drive her crazy every summer.

How could he alter the dynamic of a relationship that seemed as if it were carved in stone? How could he make her see that they'd be so good together? He didn't want her to forget the past. That's what made things so easy between them. He just wanted her to see that they weren't kids anymore.

Things had changed. He'd changed. And he was ready to give her all she'd wanted all those years ago. Only this time, he could give her more than just one night of clumsy lovemaking and empty promise. This time, it could be a beginning.

* * *

**AN: Thats the fifth chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. **

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 70-80 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Chapter 6 is on the works...this chapter would be on the normal length of my previous chapters.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! Thank you Blitch for pointing out the typo on chapter 4..it was because I was talking to my friend on the phone while writing and his name was Sam so I accidentally put he's name down instead of Itachi-kun's name.**

**So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	7. Chapter 6

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is Mika and Sakura's talk.. Sasuke's tuxedo fitting! Hope you'll enjoy it. **

**Warning: Fitting room lime..More sexual tension. Sorry for all this sexual tension. I bet you just want to smack me for doing this. It's all about Sasuke and Sakura seducing each other. And again sorry for the tension between them. Enjoy the fic! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 6.. read on and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"WHERE'S HE GOING in such a hurry?"

Sakura stared at Sasuke's truck as it roared off down the snow-covered road. "He has an appointment in town," she murmured.

Sai watched as he drove off, frowning. "He's speeding. Too fast for conditions. He's lucky I don't chase after him and slap him with a ticket." He walked around to the back of the car and hooked the chain to a metal plate beneath the back bumper. "So, are you and him—"

"Together? No," Sakura said. "We're just…old friends."

"You know, he once threatened to beat the crap out of me if I did more than kiss you on our date."

"I guess you weren't too scared of him."

Sai grinned. "Hey, I knew why you went out with me. It wasn't too hard to see what was going on between you two. He made things pretty clear."

"No," Sakura said. "There was never anything. He was just…like an older brother."

"I don't think so," Sai said as he walked back to his truck. "I'm pretty sure the guy was in love with you."

Sakura stopped out onto the road, puzzled by Sai's revelation. How could he have gotten all that from a simple warning? Still, Sasuke had admitted as much, only she thought he'd been teasing? What if it was true? What if his feelings had run much deeper than she ever suspected?

Sai hooked the chain to his truck. He slowly pulled it taut. A moment later, her car began to move as it was gradually drawn back onto the road. "That's good!" she shouted.

Sai parked the truck. He walked to the front of her rental car and examined it. "No damage," he said.

"Thanks." Sakura reached for the door and Sai quickly opened it for her. "I'm lucky you came along."

"Hey, there's a good band playing out at Kiba's tomorrow night. We could catch some dinner and then head out there. I mean, if you aren't busy with family stuff. And I promise I won't try any funny business."

Sakura hesitated. There was absolutely no spark between her and Sai, and she didn't want to lead him on. Besides, if she wanted sparks, she had the Fourth of July fireworks in Sasuke "I'm trying to spend some time with my sister."

"Yeah, I heard she was getting married. Your mom told me when I saw her in town yesterday. That's a surprise. Little Mika Haruno and Itachi Uchiha. Hard to believe they're old enough to get married."

"Maybe Mika and I will stop by and check it out," she said. A girl's night out might make her sister reconsider getting married. She had far many oats to sow yet and Kiba's Roadhouse was known as a single girl's paradise.

"Well, then, I'll see you if I see you. I know the guy at the door. Just give him your name and he'll let you in without the cover charge. You drive careful now, Sakura. I don't want to catch you in another snowbank. If I do, I might have to toss you in jail."

He opened her car door for her and she got inside. As Sakura drove off, she glanced in the rear-view mirror. Sai Muguruma was an attractive guy. And now that she was single again, she ought to have been flattered that he'd turned his attention to her.

Sakura had never put much stock in sexual chemistry, but now she finally understood what it was all about. When she and Sai sat in the same test tube, nothing happened. But when she got mixed up in a beaker of Sasuke, the combination erupted into heat and passion and uncontrolled need.

There was a strange connection between them, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Something was drawing them together, a power that was impossible to resist. And with every moment that passed, Sakura wondered why she even bothered to try.

Her phone rang and Sakura reached to get it out of her purse. But then she drew her hand away. For the first time in her professional life, she didn't want to think about work. She didn't want to answer some silly question or explain some figure on a report. She just wanted to be left alone for a day. Grabbing the phone, she switched it off, the Mozart tune ending prematurely. She'd deal with work later. And besides, the last thing she needed was a ticket courtesy of Sai. She had more important things on her mind.

Her thoughts returned to Sasuke. There was one major fear holding her back, a fear that she would repeat past mistakes. What if they did have sex and what if it was the most wonderful experience of her life? And what if she fell in love with Sasuke all over again?

Those feelings had been buried so deep for so long that she'd thought they were gone. But the moment he'd kissed her, they'd floated back to the surface. Sakura was much stronger now, but Sasuke had the capacity to sweep her off her feet, to make lose touch with reality and reason.

She drew a ragged breath. Though it was frightening, this power he had over her, it was also liberating. When she was with him, she could let go and enjoy herself. For the first time since she was a teenager, she looked forward to getting up in the morning. While she was here with Sasuke, she didn't have to worry about all the public relations fires she'd have to put out in the course of a day, all the upset clients and curious reporters and skittish stock-holders. She could relax and just be herself.

Why was it that Sasuke was always a factor in the choices she made? She'd gone to school at NYU because she thought it would impress Sasuke. She got a job in public relations because Sasuke had once told her she was good at solving problems. She'd worked herself ragged in the past seven years because, deep inside, she wanted to prove that she didn't need Sasuke in her life to be happy.

And where had it gotten her? Sakura sighed softly. Right back to where she started, still chasing after Sasuke Uchiha. But this time, he was chasing after her, as well. And she now had control over what happened between them—until, of course, he touched her. Then all bets were off.

"That's the problem," Sakura said. "I can control my attraction for Sasuke as long as we aren't close to each other. But I'm so attracted to him, I can't stay away. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't."

* * *

BY THE TIME she got back to the inn it was nearly noon.

There was no one at the desk when she walked in, but Sakura found her younger sister at a table in the dining room, a binder open in front of her. She munched on a breadstick as she flipped through the pages.

"Your maid of honour has arrived," Sakura said, pulling out a chair across from Mika.

Her sister looked up and smiled. "Good. I need someone to distract me from all these details. My mind is so filled minutiae that it's starting to leak out of my ears. Flowers, music, candles, dinner. I thought we were planning a small wedding, but it's starting to take on a life of its own."

Sakura sat down, then reached out for the binder, scanning down her sister's "to do" list. She didn't understand why brides worried over such silly decisions. "This is the list of music? Go for the Pachebel's "Canon" for the processional and "Ode to Joy" for the recessional. Red roses with my bridesmaid's dress would be too much. White would be better. And not the hybrid roses but the cabbage roses. Vanilla-scented tapers for the candles—you know how much Mom loves those. And surf and turf for dinner, that way you'll please everyone." Sakura slammed the binder shut. "There, that was easy."

Mika blinked in surprise. "Sakura Ami Haruno! You can't just decide so quickly. All of these things have to be discussed."

"With whom? Itachi? He doesn't care. I've heard that brides often focus so much time and attention on the wedding that they forget there's a marriage that comes after it."

"That's why we wanted to keep this small," Mika said. "And more manageable. Between Mom and Mrs. Uchiha, we wouldn't have had a wedding, we would have had an event. But I don't want to make decisions just to get them out of the way. I want this wedding to be perfect. So does Itachi."

"So you have discussed everything with him?

"No. He's leaving the details up to me."

Sakura plucked a breadstick out of the basket and munched on the end. "That's odd. I mean, that he wouldn't even care. You know how those Uchiha boys are. They're so bossy. They have to run everything."

Sakura could see Mika growing dizzy from the change in conversation. Tiny worry lines furrowed her brow and she kept glancing back down at her book, as if all the answers were contained within.

Sakura couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but this marriage would be a life-altering event if Mika wasn't prepared then Sakura wasn't doing her job as a big sister or a maid of honour. "If it isn't perfect then the marriage will never succeed. It's like bad karma."

Mika frowned. "Yeah. I guess so." She paused. "Is it? Is that some superstition I haven't heard yet?"

"You're marrying the perfect guy so you have to be perfect in return. So did you solve your motorcycle dilemma? I'd stand firm on that one. Once you give in, he's going to take advantage and think he can run the show."

"He doesn't want to talk about it. He says it's his decision."

"Mika, things will only get worse after you're married. Marriage magnifies problems, it doesn't make them go away." It was armchair psychology and a deliberate manipulation but if it saved Mika from making the biggest mistake of her life, then Sakura didn't care. If love couldn't withstand a bit of poking and prodding, then it would never last.

Sakura winced inwardly. It almost pained her to say those words. But maybe that's why she wasn't happily married and living in the suburbs with three kids. Perhaps there was some truth in what she said. She reached out and took Mika's hand. "Are you really ready for this, Mi-chan?"

"I-I've thought about postponing," Mika admitted in a small voice. "But then, I just wrote it off to nerves. Everyone would be so disappointed."

"This is about you, not Mom and Dad," Sakura said.

"But how am I supposed to know for sure? What am I supposed to feel?"

"Passion, contentment, anticipation. You're going to spend the rest of your life with this one man. You have to know that when you look at him over the breakfast table in thirty years, that he was and is the only man in the world for you." Sakura sat back in her chair. "If you called it off, Mika, I would stand behind you. I'd help you explain it to Mom and Dad."

Mika drew a shaky breath and then forced a bright smile. "That's what you do for a living, right? Take disasters and put a pretty ribbon on them and pretend they never happened?"

"This wouldn't be a disaster," Sakura insisted. But a divorce in two or three years would be. The families would be forced to take sides and that would destroy a lifelong friendship that they'd all enjoy.

Mika shook her head. "Don't be silly. I'm not going to call it off. It's just pre-wedding jitters, that's all." She grabbed a menu from the centre of the table and handed it to Sakura. "Here. Why don't you order something for lunch. I'm going to run up to my room and get the folder from the florist and we'll discuss the bouquets. The florist needs to know by this afternoon so he can place the order."

Mika pushed back from the table and hurried out of the dining room. Sakura slowly shook her head. The doubts she had before hadn't been dispelled. If anything, they were now magnified. Mika wasn't ready to get married, but she also wasn't strong enough to make the decision on her own. If the wedding were going to be called off, then Sasuke would have to talk to Itachi into doing it.

Sakura grabbed Mika's binder and opened it again. It was filled with pictures torn from magazines and neatly scribbled notes. There was a whole section on bridesmaid's dresses and another on bridal gowns. It was obvious that Mika had been planning for this wedding for much longer than a month and a half. Some of the photos were at least five years old.

Sakura groaned inwardly. Did Mika feel the same way about Itachi as Sakura had felt about Sasuke? Had she carried a secret crush around all these years? If she had, then trying to convince Mika to wait was going to be much tougher job than she anticipated.

Motioning to the waitress, sakura stood up. "Can you let my sister know that I had to run an errand? I'll be back later this afternoon."

If she and Sasuke expected to have any affect at all, then they'd better coordinate their efforts. She reached for her cell phone before she realized she wasn't even sure Sasuke had a cell phone. How did a person exist in this world without one? Or without wireless computer access and a PDA and a fax machine?

Sakura strode to her car, then remembered that Sasuke had an appointment to try on his tuxedo. The only place in town that rented men's formal wear was a shop two blocks down and around the corner. Sakura glanced over at her car parked in front of the inn and decide it would be faster to walk.

When she arrived, she was out of breath. She walked to the rear of the store and the small section devoted to formal wear. An elderly man with a tape measure around his neck stood in front of a mirror. "Is Sasuke Uchiha here?" she asked.

"He's changing," the man said, pointing to a nearby fitting room. "He'll be out in a moment."

Sakura strode over to the fitting room door, opened it and stepped inside. Sasuke stood in front of the mirror in his boxers and a formal shirt. He saw her reflection and smiled.

"You have a perfectly nice room at the inn and I'm staying out in the boathouse. Why do we keep meeting in fitting rooms?"

"We have to talk," Sakura said. He slowly turned and her breath caught in her throat. His muscular chest was visible, his shirt half unbuttoned, and Sakura's fingers twitched as she imagined the feel of his skin beneath her hands.

Sasuke reached out and grabbed her wrist, the placed her palm on his chest. "So what is so important that it can't wait until I'm dressed?" He dragged her hand over his chest to his belly, then left it resting near the waistband of his boxers.

She traced her thumb along the deep cut of muscle that ran along his hip to somewhere beneath the navy blue fabric. Sakura wanted to follow it farther, to explore his body until she knew every plane and angle and curve and indentation. His body was flawless, a perfect specimen of male beauty.

She'd never paid much attention to physical beauty before, but then she'd never been with a truly beautiful man until now. Now, every detail, from the hard muscle of Sasuke's abdomen to the soft dusting of hair across his chest, intrigued her.

She ran her hands back over his chest, watching as his growing erection pressed against the front of his boxers. He pulled her toward him and kissed her, cupping her backside in his hands and moving his hips against her. Emboldened, Sakura reached down and wrapped her fingers around his shaft, hot and hard through the soft fabric.

Sasuke's breath caught and then he moaned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not sure," Sakura said. And she wasn't. She was just following her instincts. It didn't make any sense and in the rational world, she might have been appalled at her daring. But when she and Sasuke were together, the normal rules didn't seem to apply.

"How does it fit?" the salesclerk called.

"It fits good," Sasuke replied, his eyes closed, his face a mask of pleasure. He wasn't talking about the clothes. They fit—her hand, his shaft, his hands, her backside. Everything seemed to fit perfectly.

"Can I see?"

"No!" they both said.

Sasuke looked down at her through passion-glazed eyes and smiled. "Is that why you came here? To torment me?"

"I—I came to talk about Mika," she admitted, realizing how far off track she'd wandered. She hesitantly drew her hand away.

"Don't," he whispered. "Touch me." Sasuke brushed his lips across hers. "I'm sorry I acted like such as ass earlier. I was out of line. Do you forgive me?"

"For what?"

"For what I said. For the way I acted. For being a jerk and leaving you out on the road with Muguruma." He sucked in a sharp breath and moaned. "If you keep doing that, there will be consequences. Very messy consequences."

"Sorry," Sakura said. "Maybe we should continue this later?"

"Maybe that would be best," he said. "I'm not sure I want our first time to be in a fitting room." He glanced down. "This is definitely going to affect the fit of my trousers."

Sakura giggled. She sensed that sex with Sasuke would be amazing, heart-stopping, a powerful experience. But she also knew that it would be fun. And Sakura had never really had a lot of fun in the bedroom. Sex had always been fraught with so many expectations, many of them never fulfilled. She was curious now, anxious to learn how it might be with Sasuke. "Maybe I should leave?"

"No, just give me a few minutes. I just have to focus on something else."

"Our plan," she said. "We need a plan. I talked to Mika and she's having doubts. I don't think she's ready, but she won't be the one to call it off."

Sasuke glanced around. "You know, this fitting room thing is pretty hot. It's like a public place but it's still private."

Sakura gave him a soft punch on the arm. "We're talking about Mika and Itachi."

"I don't want to talk about them. I'd rather talk about us. What are you doing this afternoon? I have something to show you."

Sakura looked down, then rolled her eyes. "All you think about is sex."

"No. That's not true. And that's not what I was planning to show you." He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. "Let me take care of this first." He opened the fitting room door and pushed her out.

The salesclerk was standing outside, a disapproving scowl on his face. "He'll be right out. I'm just going to wait up front. You have some very nice leather chairs." She forced a smile, but the man's expression didn't waver.

Ten minutes later, Sasuke joined her at the front of the store. He took her hand and walked out with her and when they reached the street, Sakura turned on him. "You have to stop making me do those things," she said.

"You used to be such a daredevil," he said. "What's happened?"

"I've grown up," Sakura said.

"I dare you to kiss me, right here," Sasuke said. "In front of everyone." He looked around at the nearly empty street and then shrugged. "All right, in front of that woman with the poodle."

"Where are we going? You said you wanted to take me somewhere."

"I don't know if I should," Sasuke teased. "You've lost your nerve. I'm not sure this Sakura would be up for what I have in mind."

She grinned, then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Her tongue slipped between his lips and Sakura used every ounce of her feminine wiles to arouse him again. "I'm just a little out of practice," she said. "The only daring thing I do is dodging cabs when crossing Fifth Avenue."

Sasuke grabbed another kiss, then pulled her along to his SUV. Sakura really didn't care where they were going, as long as it was somewhere quiet and private where they might continue what they'd started in the fitting room.

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**AN: Thats the sixth chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. **

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 95-115 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Chapter 7 is on the works...and it will be a short chapter but I'm still hoping that you will all enjoy it.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	8. Chapter 7

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is about "THE Fortress" of Sasuke and Sakura. It's where they had most of their memories together in the past and Sasuke brought both of them back there.**

**Warning: Fluff...and I think just an ole short and boring chapter. Hope you'll still enjoy the fic! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 7.. read on and enjoy!**

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**Chapter 7**

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?"

Sasuke glanced over at the Sakura and smiled.

After their rocky start that morning, Sasuke wondered whether he and Sakura were doomed to spend their time revisiting the past.

They'd been such good friends growing up, doing everything together, climbing trees and exploring the lakeshore, fishing and swimming. But once they'd started to see each other as more than just good buddies, their relationship had grown strained. Though they'd still spent the majority of their time together, they had often been locked in a battle of wills, each of them trying to one-up the other.

Sakura had used the stubborn determination he'd fostered and made a success of herself in a highly competitive field. He, in turn, had internalized her absolute confidence in him and used it to build his own business from scratch.

He'd never really thanked her for being such a good friend. But he didn't want to do that now. Instead, he wanted her to look at him as something more than a friend. He wanted to get back to that place, to that day right before they'd started looking at each other with teenage lust in their eyes. If he took them back, then maybe they'd be able to turn things in a different direction.

"I'd just like to know what this thing you're going to show me is."

"A surprise," Sasuke said. "Are you always this impatient? Or do you just hate surprises?"

"Both," Sakura said.

"You're going to have to relax. You're not in the big city anymore. Take a breath, chill for a while. Enjoy the beautiful day."

Sakura's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, but before she could answer it, Sasuke grabbed it from her hands. "You can talk to them later," he said, taking a quick glance at the caller ID.

"I have responsibilities," Sakura said. She took her cell phone back. "Don't you have a cell phone? Don't people call from your office need to talk to you?"

"They don't have my number. I don't want anyone calling me so I don't give it out. When I leave the office, I'm done. Whatever they need can wait or they can figure it out themselves. I'm not that important that I have all the answers. Are you?"

"Well, yes. That's how you get to be the boss. By having all the answers."

"Maybe you should trust people you work with a little more. If you don't, you'll drive yourself crazy."

Sasuke knew from experience that it was best to take a more relaxed approach to work. When he first opened his own architectural firm in Chicago, he'd spent months of sleepless nights worrying about all the horrible things that might befall him professionally. And then, once he was sure they weren't going t come and repossess the office furniture, he stopped worrying. He didn't want to be a millionaire or appear on the cover of some glossy architecture magazine. He wasn't going to be the next Minato Namikaze. He'd do his job well, he'd make a decent living and his clients would be happy with his work. That was enough.

"I work better when I'm crazy," Sakura said. She flipped open the phone. "Give me your number. I might have an emergency sometime."

"I'll only give you my number if you promise that you'll use it," he said.

"For what? A booty call?"

"Maybe. Or a little bit of drunk dialling. Or when you get stuck in a snowbank on the side of the road." He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out his own phone, then handed it to her. "Put your number on my memory dial. I might have an emergency of my own some night."

Sasuke carefully watched the side of the East Shore Road, looking for the weathered wooden sign that hung from an old sakura tree. Havenwoods. When he saw it, he turned sharply into the woods, steering the truck down a snow-covered drive.

Sakura looked around. "What is this? It said private property on that sign. We shouldn't drive down here."

"Relax," Sasuke said. "The owner hardly ever uses it in the winter. No one has been here for a while." Sakura was silent and Sasuke looked over at her. "It'll be alright, I promise."

They wound through the words and finally came to a clearing in the trees. An old log house stood on the rise above the lake. A ramshackle porch, supported by a stone foundation, surrounded the house and three fieldstone chimneys broke up the roofline. Every time Sasuke saw it, he couldn't help but be amazed that it was finally his.

"Oh my God," Sakura murmured, peering through the windshield. "It's the Fortress." She glanced over at Sasuke, a wide smile on her face. "I haven't been here in…years. It still looks exactly the same." She frowned. "But smaller."

"It's called Havenwoods," Sasuke said, "and I found out it was one of the first summerhouses built on this lake, back when the industrialists called their summer homes camps and North Lake was just a pretty fishing hole in the middle of a forest. It was built in 1885 by a railroad tycoon from Chicago who owned the entire lake and the surrounding property. It was designed by Hashirama Senju," Sasuke continued. "Hashirama was the first to design in the Great Camp style in the Adirondacks."

"Someone is home," she said. "The porch lights are on in the middle of the day."

He shook his head. "The lighting is triggered by a sensor on the driveway. When you come from the lake side, the lights don't go on." He turned off the car. "You want to go inside."

As kids, they used to come across the lake by boat and tie up at the rotting dock. They'd explore every inch of the property and had spent many rainy days inside the house, gaining entrance through the first-floor window with a broken sash lock.

"We can't go inside. That's trespassing. And breaking and entering."

"We used to do it all the time. No one will care," Sasuke said. "And I know where the key is so we won't have to break in." He jumped out of the truck and circled around, then helped her out. "If Officer Muguruma catches us, you can just smile at him and he won't arrest us."

Sakura's gaze was fixed on the façade as she walked closer. "You brought me here on my fifteenth birthday. And you gave me that arrowhead necklace. I wore that thing all year. My girlfriends in school thought it was the ugliest thing, but I thought…well, I thought it was special."

"Do you still have it?"

"I do. It's in my closet back in New York. The leather string broke, but I kept it. Along with everything else you gave me." Sakura smiled. "I'll have to get that box and go through it."

"What else is in it?"

"Silly stuff. Mementos of our grand love affair. There's a piece of bubblegum you gave me. I was sure it meant that you wanted me. I used to take it out and touch it because I knew it had been in your pocket."

"That's a little scary," Sasuke teased.

"I know. I was a teenage girl hauling around a huge torch. Everything meant something."

They climbed the snow covered steps and Sakura walked to the window, peering inside, he hands around her eyes. "It looks the same. I'd imagine this was a beautiful place to visit in its day."

Sasuke walked along the outside wall until he reached the second set of windows, then bent down and pulled a stone from a spot beneath the sill. Beneath it, he fond the keys.

"How did you know about that?"

"I was here alone one summer and the caretaker showed up. I saw him get the keys. After that, I could get in whenever I wanted." He grinned and grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her along to the corner of the house. "See this. These logs were hand-notched so they fit really tight. Hashirama always used materials from the surrounding forest."

Sasuke unlocked the three locks on the front door, then opened it. He stepped inside, waiting for Sakura to enter. "It'll be alright. I promise."

They stood in the entry hall, an old deer-antler chandelier hanging above their head. The furniture was tattered and dusty, but he'd managed to clean up most of the mess left by the leaky roof and broken windows.

"Wow," Sakura said. "This place needs a lot of work. It seemed like a palace when we were kids, but now I see it for what it is."

"Look beyond the surface," Sasuke said. "Can you see what it could be again?"

"I can," she said. She walked over to a low bench made of braches and twigs. "But it would take someone with a lot of time and a lot of money."

"I used to walk through this house and memorize all the details. This is why I decided to become an architect. I wanted to design houses like this. Summerhouses. Places where people relax and have fun."

Sasuke felt her take his hand and weave her finger through his. It was simple gesture, but he instantly knew she understood. He wasn't sure anyone else would. But Sakura would. It seemed right that he share this with her again. "Come on I'll show you around."

Though he hadn't kissed her or even touched her in an intimate way, Sasuke felt as though they'd suddenly become so much closer. This was who he was now, not the boy she'd known. And the woman standing beside him understood what it all meant.

They wandered aimlessly, Sakura taking in all the details silently, as if caught in her memories of the past. Dust motes swirled around them in the light that filtered through the windows. When they passed through a shaft of sunlight, Sasuke gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his mouth searching for a familiar taste he'd come to crave.

"I need you," he murmured, his lips warm against hers.

Sakura looked up at him, her gaze fixed on his mouth. "Show me the rest of the house," she murmured.

They walked slowly through each of the six bedrooms, Sasuke pointing out the architectural details that made Havenwoods so special. By the time they got back to the entry hall, Sasuke was almost desperate to kiss her. But he waited, hoping that this place would work its magic.

It was a great wreck of a house, but it was part of their history together, part of who he'd become. It deserved better than to be consumed by the elements and left for some errant campfire spark to take hold of and burn down.

He'd mortgaged his future to buy it, cashing in his investments, selling his sports car to buy a second-hand SUV. He'd even sold his house in Wicker Park and took up residence in a tiny one-bedroom in a seedy neighbourhood, just so he could afford the mortgage and taxes.

It left little for renovations, but Sasuke felt it was worth the risk. Although, he still hadn't told a soul he owned it. His father would probably blow a gasket and his mother would never understand. But he had an ally in Sakura.

"There are only two things I ever really wanted in my life. And this was one of them," Sasuke said.

"What was the other?" Sakura asked.

"_You_," he said with a devilish grin.

* * *

**AN: Thats the seventh chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone. Hope you all still enjoyed this chapter though it was a short one.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 130-145 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Wow...we've passed the hundredth mark for reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 8 is on the works...and there will be a surprise!! Whoop!**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	9. Chapter 8

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is still in the summer kitchen by the fortress of Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke and Sakura's plan to test Mika and Itachi's bond is vaguely described here.**

**Warning: Lemon!! Drama and the start of obstacle and problems. Hope you'll still enjoy the fic! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 8.. read on and enjoy!**

**_Otanjoubi Omedetou Itachi-kun!! For Itachi-kun's birthday!! Sorry it's a day late Ita-kun!_**

**

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******

Chapter 8

SASUKE LOCKED THE FRONT DOOR behind them and returned the key to its spot beneath the window. Sakura watched him, her mind flooded with memories of their childhood. She couldn't count the number of days they'd spent at the Fortress. It had been a magical place, a place all their own.

It was sweet of him to remember, she mused. Even when things had been difficult between them, Sakura had been able to count on Sasuke. As teenagers, they'd argue and pout, but he'd always be the first to come back with an apology—a gift of something he'd found in the forest or a plan for a brand-new adventure or just a silly joke that would make her laugh.

It wasn't difficult to understand why she'd been in love with him all those years ago. When she was with him, she felt as if she were the most important person in his world. And she felt that now. There was an honesty between them, a respect that she'd never felt with any other man.

When he stepped back to her side, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed up on her toes, dropping a soft kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For bringing me back here."

Sasuke slipped his hands around her waist and drew her closer, his mouth covering hers. The kiss was quiet and gentle, his tongue caressing hers in a slow, seductive way.

It was as if they both finally knew that being together was inevitable. There was nothing stopping them anymore. All day she'd been thinking about this, about what even one kiss would do to her. If a kiss could devastate her defenses so easily, what would a night in bed do?

Suddenly, Sakura wanted to find out. She didn't need to weigh the consequences of what she was about to do because she didn't care anymore about consequences. All she cared about was sharing herself, completely, with Sasuke.

"Would you like to go back to the inn?" she asked.

"I thought we could walk down to the lake," Sasuke said. "There's something else I want to show you."

"I want to go back to the inn," Sakura said. "With you."

He stared down into her eyes, an odd expression on his face. Then a slow smile curved the corners of his mouth. "We don't have to go back there," he murmured.

"We don't?"

He pulled her along the porch, circling the house until he'd reached the side that faced the lake. She saw the small log building about thirty yards from the house, connected by a covered walkway. They'd called it the Guardhouse when they were kids, but now Sakura knew what it really was—a summer kitchen. When they reached the front door, Sasuke pulled out his keys and unlocked the padlock.

"You have your own key?" she asked.

Sasuke opened the door. "Yeah. It comes in handy since I own the place," he murmured.

Sakura gasped, not sure that she heard him right. "You own this cabin?"

"No, I own the whole thing. The house, the property, the rotting dock and the roofless guest cabins. The musty furniture and that old moose head over the fireplace. It's all mine."

Sakura glanced around the small cabin. A drafting table was set up near the window and a small cot stood in front of the fireplace. She walked over to the table and stared down at the yellowed plans spread out there, recognizing the façade of the main house. They were covered with yellow sticky notes in Sasuke's handwriting.

Sakura felt her heart war, suddenly understanding the deeper reasons for their visit. This was his home. And he wanted her approval. "I can't believe this is all yours," she said. "How did you get it?"

"I was in New York for a seminar and I decided to look up the lady who owned it. I had the name from the tax records. We had tea and I told her about how much I loved the place and how I used to sneak in here. And she agreed to sell it to me, with the provision that I bring it back to what it was in her childhood. I made a promise and I intend to keep it. And when it's finished, she asked that I invite her grandchildren to stay now and then."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"It's our place," Sasuke said. "I thought you should see it again. Because you're my oldest friend and you'd appreciate it."

Sakura slowly unzipped her jacket. "I don't want to be your friend right now," she said, dropping the jacket on the rough plank floor.

He reached out and rubbed her arms through her shirt. "Maybe I should start a fire."

Sakura sat on the edge of the cot and watched as he crumpled newspapers up beneath the grate in the old hearth. He tossed some smaller logs on top, then grabbed a match and started the fire. They both stared into the flames as they licked at the dry logs. Soon, a gentle heat was radiating through the room.

"Do you stay here often?" she asked.

"When I come out from the city," Sasuke said. "It's harder in the summer since my folks are in town. Then, I have to stay with them. In the winter, no one knows I'm here. I work on the house. It's quiet and I get some of my other work done, too."

"I'm used to having so many people around," she said. "I can't imagine getting anything done with all this silence."

"Sometimes silence is nice," he said, leaning forward to kiss her.

She reached for the buttons of her shirt, and Sasuke drew a ragged breath. Pressing her hand to his chest, she felt his heart pounding beneath her fingers. Sakura was breathless, as if the anticipation itself was exhausting.

"Are you sure you want to do this here?" he asked. "Conditions are a little rough."

"This is perfect," Sakura said. In truth, she'd always dreamed that it would happen this way with Sasuke, in some secret spot where no one would ever find them, in the back seat of his beat-up Cutlass or on a secluded beach in the middle of the night.

Sasuke reached into his jeans pockets and pulled out his wallet, then retrieved a condom. "I guess we'll need this," he said.

"Are you nervous?" Sakura asked, reaching out to grab the front of his jacket and pull him down on top of her.

"No," he said with a grin. "Well, maybe a little. God, I feel as if we're in high school and this is my first time."

"I know. Me, too." She tugged on his jacket, drawing it down over his arms, and then tossing it aside. "It makes it more exciting, don't you think?"

Sakura got up on her knees and shoved her shirt off her arms, dropping it on top of his jacket. Sasuke rubbed his thumb over her nipple, bringing it to a peak beneath the silky fabric of her bra. "_Sweetheart,_ getting naked with you would be just as exciting if we did it in the middle of Main Street with all of North Lake watching."

They tugged and tore at each other's clothes, their hands frantically skimming over each inch of naked skin. The air was still chilly and his touch raised goose bumps. But it only made each sensation more acute, exciting her so much that she trembled with each caress. Sakura felt alive with anticipation, scared and nervous and aroused all at once.

When they were both down to their underwear, they stopped and stared at each other. Sakura giggled softly. "Now what?"

"I'm the virgin here," Sasuke teased. "Maybe you should show me what to do."

Sakura reached out and ran her finger over his lower lip. He was giving her control, letting her set the pace. This time, she would seduce him, like she'd tried to do all those years ago. And this time, she'd succeed.

She slid her hands along his body and hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers, then pulled them down. After that, she quickly took care of her own underwear. His body radiated heat, more than the fire burning on the hearth. He pulled her against him and his warmth became hers.

Stretched out on top of him, Sakura revelled in the feel of their naked bodies pressed against each other. He ran his hands over her back, along her hips. She could feel his desire, hot and hard, between them.

She'd wanted to take everything slowly, to savour each moment. But she was impatient, desperate to experience it all at once. She'd waited for so long and now that she'd made the decision to have him, there would be no stopping her. She drew back, pressing a line of kisses to his chest, moving lower and lower until she reached the soft hair on his belly.

Sakura knew the power of his touch on her body. Now, she wanted to test her power over him. She stroked him, wrapping her fingers around his hard throbbing cock. Sasuke closed his eyes and groaned, his breath coming in short gasps. He arched into her touch and when she looked up again, his eyes were open and he was watching her every move.

"I don't think my first time felt this good."

Sakura smiled, then dipped lower and took him into her mouth. Her touch was like shock to his body and he jerked, sucking in a sharp breath. "Am I doing it right?" she teased, smiling up at him.

"Oh, yeah. Oh, that's so nice."

Sakura continued to caress him with her tongue and her lips, carefully gauging his reaction and drawing him away from the edge again and again. And when she suspected that he wouldn't last much longer, she moved back up along his body, until his swollen shaft rested between her legs.

She rocked above him, his cock sliding against her sex, the friction sending wonderful waves of pleasure through her body. In the past, sex had always been filled with nagging disappointments. She'd never really felt the kind of passion that she'd wanted to feel, that she knew she could feel.

This time, it would be different. Sakura felt as if she could surrender by simply closing her eyes and letting herself go. She was so close already and he hadn't even touched her. An urgency drove her forward, toward something that she'd never experienced and yet knew she wanted. Sakura reached out and took the condom from Sasuke's hand, and then unwrapped it.

"Wait," he murmured. "Slow down."

"I've been waiting eleven years," she said. "I can't wait any longer." She sheathed him, and then straddled his hips, moving above him until he probed at her entrance. Then, with a deep sigh, she sank down on top of him.

The sensation of him filling her was a revelation. It was perfection and paradise, absolute intimacy. They were closer than they'd ever been before and yet it seemed so natural, as if their bodies had been made for this all along.

Sasuke began to move inside her, his gaze fixed on hers, his fingers tangled in hers. Sakura leaned forward and ran her tongue along the crease of his mouth. He reached out and drew her into a deep, desperate kiss, his lips and tongue communicating his need without words.

_This was sex, but it was more than that_, Sakura thought to herself. It was passion and instinct, a need that had burned inside them for years. It was the past and the present; it was the two of them drowning in a world of pleasure. Now she understood why it hadn't happened that night all those years ago. She wasn't ready—they weren't ready—for the intensity of their joining.

Sasuke reached between them to touch her, but Sakura grabbed his hand again and pinned it at his side. She was already just a heartbeat away and his touch would send her over. Instead, she increased her tempo; rocking faster and faster and feeling the tension tighten inside of her. She ached to let go, but knew that if she waited just a bit longer, it would be all the more intense. She wanted to cum, but she wanted it to be the most powerful release she'd ever experienced.

Sasuke wasn't content to play a passive role anymore. He sat up and wrapped her legs around his waist, impaling her until she could feel him deep inside of her. When he began to move again, she knew she was lost. Every stroke from Sasuke's thrust was exquisite torture.

Sakura felt herself reaching for ecstasy, her release so close she could almost touch it. And then it came down on her like a waterfall, washing over her until her whole body tingled with sensation. She cried out Sasuke's name as spasm after spasm shook her, her body reacting uncontrollably.

And the, suddenly, Sasuke was there with her, driving into her one last time before joining her. He pressed his face between her breasts as he moaned her name, his hands clutching at her shoulders, driving her down onto him again and again until he was completely spent.

When their shudders had subsided, they collapsed into each other, Sasuke gathering her in his arms. It had happened so quickly and yet Sakura felt complete and utter exhaustion racked her whole being. Her body, so tense just moments before, was almost boneless. "_Oh, my_," she murmured.

"Why did we wait so long?" he asked, pressing a kiss beneath her ear.

"It wouldn't have been this good eleven years ago," she said.

"I'm not talking about then. I'm talking about the past two days." He raked his hand through her tangled hair, and then gently tugged back until she met his penetrating and intense gaze. "This changes everything."

Sakura frowned. "It does?"

"How am I supposed to be around you now? How can I keep from touching you and kissing you? I want you in my bed Sakura. Tonight. Tomorrow night. For as long as you want me."

"I guess this won't count as a one-night stand?"

"No," Sasuke said, shaking his head. "I don't think there's a chance of that. You can't resist me."

"And you can't resist me," she countered with a satisfied smile.

"Why should I even try?"

Sakura snuggled up against his warm body. "We can stay here tonight. I know the guy who owns the place." She pressed her lips to is chest, then sighed.

"No one is expecting us back," Sasuke said.

"Except for Mika. But she can wait." Sakura pushed up on her elbow and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "So we could do it again?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied. But then his smile faded and he cursed softly. "No. I only had one condom."

"There are other _things_ we could do," Sakura suggested.

"Really? I always loved your sense of adventure," he replied, grabbing her waist and pulling her beneath him.

His mouth came down on hers and Sakura lost herself in his kiss. There were a lot of things she'd never tried in the bedroom. But with Sasuke, all her inhibitions seemed to dissolve at his touch. She didn't feel vulnerable with him, she felt powerful. She didn't have to worry about what he wanted or needed because he wanted nothing more than to give her pleasure. She could let go and enjoy his body without sacrificing a part of herself.

They had been friends first and now they were lovers. There would be no going back.

* * *

"NO, DON'T GO," Sasuke said, pulling Sakura back into his arms. "Not yet. Stay a little longer."

Sakura glanced over her shoulder at him, snuggled beneath the covers of his bed in the boathouse. They'd officially been lovers for twenty-four hours and the sneaking around was already wearing thin.

After dinner at the Harunos', Sakura had offered up some silly story about working on their toasts for the wedding. They walked down to the boathouse and the moment the door closed behind them, they were tossing aside clothes and tumbling into Sasuke's bed.

Sasuke had spent last night in Sakura's bed at the inn, sneaking out in the early morning hours so that he could get back to the boathouse before anyone noticed him missing. They were two adults and yet there were moments when Sasuke felt as if they were teenagers.

"Don't you think it's odd?"

"What?" Sakura asked as she continued to dress.

"What we're doing is perfectly legal. Between consenting adults. And we have a variety of locations to choose from. We shouldn't have to worry about getting caught."

"It would complicate things," Sakura explained. "There would be questions and speculation and expectations. I just want this to be about you and me and not our families, all right?"

Sasuke nodded. "So do you want me to sneak into your bed tonight?"

Sakura grabbed her jacket and reached into the pocket, then withdrew a key, dangling it in front of his face. "I got you your own. Just don't let Mika see you come in. She'd been going to bed early, so come over as soon as you can get away." She gave him a quick kiss, and then pulled her boots on. "Are we agreed on our plan?"

Over the course of the past day, he and Sakura had come up with a strategy to test Itachi and Mika's commitment to each other. They'd discussed all the pitfalls and problems that couples encountered on the path to everlasting love and had put together an obstacle course for Itachi and Mika to navigate. "Operation Wedding Crashers is ready to go."

"We're not trying to crash their wedding," Sakura said. "We're just testing the depth of their feelings. Nothing more sinister than what a good marriage counsellor would do."

"Except we have absolutely no professional qualifications or practical experience in marital matters."

"No. But we do have relationship experience," Sakura said. "That should count for something." She sat down on the edge of the bed, now fully dressed in all her clod-weather clothes. "So tomorrow night I'm going to take Mika to Kiba's with me. There are always lots of single guys there to dance with and I'll make sure she drinks plenty of cocktails."

"And I'm taking Itachi out for some fun. There's a strip club out by the border. I figured we'd go there."

Sakura's eyes went wide. "Really? Is it one of those clubs where they take off all their clothes?"

"Almost," Sasuke said. "Just g-strings, shiny poles and lots of zeni bills.

"So you've been there before?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No. But I've heard about it. Kensei and a bunch of his college buddies went there for his twenty-first birthday. Does it bother you that I'll be looking at naked women?"

"Of course not," Sakura said. "Because it would bother me if you were out looking at naked men."

"Maybe I should see if I can find a strip club for Mika and me to go to. There has to be one somewhere," Sakura said.

"There's only one body I'm interested in seeing naked," Sasuke said. "And that would be yours, Sakura. You don't have to worry. After what we've had together, a hundred naked women aren't going to get me excited."

"Good answer," Sakura said. She lay down on top of him and gave him a more thorough kiss. "Later."

"I'm counting on it," he said.

She walked to the door, sending him a smile before she slipped out. Sasuke listened to her footsteps on the stairs. He crawled out of bed, wrapping the comforter around his naked body, and then peered through the curtains to watch her run across the lawn toward the Haruno house.

The boathouse is now a cozy little haven. The heater had been running all day and though it was a bit chilly inside, it was comfortable. His mother had given him a down comforter and Kensei had turned on the water so the bathroom was functioning. The accommodations were almost perfect, and almost completely private.

Sasuke flopped back down on the bed and closed his eyes. He'd made love to his fair share of beautiful women and each time he'd searched for that connection, that spark that might prove he'd found the right one. In the past twenty-four hours he'd realized that it was there with Sakura. Maybe it had always been there.

But what did that mean? They lived in different worlds, lived different lives. Though he wanted to believe that love would conquer all, Sasuke certainly knew the realities of a relationship. Sakura had made it clear that their affair would end when she went back to New York. Though he had planned to do everything in is power to convince her otherwise, Sasuke had to prepare himself for the probability that it would be over at the end of the week.

He had known it would be difficult before, but now that they'd become lovers, it would be impossible. Surely, it wouldn't be easy for her, either. Her desire for him ran just as deep and Sasuke sensed that with every touch, every kiss, the bond between them grew stronger.

And if Sakura left him, if things between them ended, he didn't think there would ever be another woman to take her place. In the back of his mind he'd always compared the women het met to Sakura. He hadn't been aware of that fact until now. They'd been smart, but Sakura had been smarter. They'd been beautiful, but she had beauty they'd never possess. He'd grown up wanting her and only her. Now that he'd had her, he was left to deal with the fear of losing her.

Sasuke threw his arms over his eyes and cursed softly. A knock sounded on the door and he sat up, surprised that she'd returned so quickly. He waited for her to come in, but she knocked again. Sasuke grabbed his boxers and pulled them on, then crossed the room and opened the door. But Sakura wasn't standing outside. Itachi was.

His brother peered inside. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Sasuke said, stepping back to allow Itachi to pass. "What's up? It's late."

Itachi began to pace the width of the room, his shoulders tense, and his expression grim. The, he sat down on the edge of the bed and nervously twisted his fingers together. "I did like you told me. When I drove Mika back to the inn tonight, I told her it was time we were honest with each other. I said we needed to have sex before we got married."

"And she refused?"

"No," Itachi said. "No we had sex." He shook his head. "And it was pretty bad."

Sasuke frowned. "Bad? Like how bad?"

Itachi flopped back and covered his face with his hands. "About as bad as it could get. She was so excited and so was I—at first. I wanted it to be romantic and special, but everything I did seemed so forced. And then, I—I couldn't—you know."

"Get it up?"

"More like, keep it up," Itachi said. He turned and looked at Sasuke. "You don't think I need Viagra, do you?"

Sasuke chuckled softly. "You haven't had any problems before, have you?"

"No! Never. But I was never marrying any of those other girls. What if this is the way it is with Mika? What if I can't…perform?"

"This happens occasionally. To every guy."

"Did it ever happen to you?"

"Well, no. But I was never under the kind of pressure you are. When I encouraged you to have sex with her, I didn't mean that you should do it just to get it done. It's not like mowing the lawn or changing the oil in your car. There's more to it than that."

"Like foreplay," Itachi said. "I know, I tried that, but she was such in a hurry. I started out thinking I'd have to convince her, but she was completely on board. I guess Sakura told her it was important to be sexually compatible with your husband." Itachi paused. "I think Mika said _crucial_. That was the word. Or maybe it was _critical_. And that's when I started to get really nervous."

"Yeah, I can see how that could happen," Sasuke said.

Still he couldn't really relate. With Sakura, there was a need there that seemed to overwhelm all rational thought. When they were intimate, he didn't worry about the mechanics, it just happened. It was raw, primal instinct that aroused him. And the fact that it always ended with incredible pleasure was nature at work.

Sasuke sat down beside his brother and patted him on the back. "This doesn't mean it will happen that way every time."

"What if it does? I wouldn't want to marry me."

"It's just a temporary thing," Sasuke said. "Believe me. The next time, you'll be fine."

"It's not like I didn't want to," Itachi said. "I mean, Mika is hot. She's got this great body and the way she kisses me just gets me going. You know what that's like, right?"

Sasuke bit his bottom lip and forced a smile, his mind rewinding back to the afternoon he'd spent with Sakura. "Yeah, I know what that's like," he muttered.

"She and Sakura are going out tomorrow night," Itachi said. "Girl's night out. I know I don't have to worry about that. If Sakura is there, nothing is going to happen to Mika. But what if Mika starts looking around for a guy who can…do it?"

"Maybe we should go out," Sasuke suggested. "Take your mind off of your troubles. Just the best man and the groom, some male bonding."

"Yeah," Itachi said. "I'm old enough now. I can get into any bar."

"And I've got just the place." Sasuke stood and grabbed his jeans from the floor. "Listen, you can hang out here tonight. There are sheets and blankets for the sofa bed in the closet. I'm just going to run back up to the house and get us something to drink and then we can talk. We'll get this all sorted out."

"Thanks," Itachi said. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Maybe, someday, when you get married, I can return the favour."

Sasuke slipped into his shirt, and then pulled on his socks and boots. "I'll be back," he said as he headed for the door. "Just relax."

He jogged down the stairs, and then walked across the lawn towards his parents' house. Sasuke pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialled Sakura's number. She didn't answer, her voice message picking up at four rings.

"Hey, there, it's me. Listen, I'm not going to be able to make tonight. Itachi stopped by the boathouse after you left and he needs some company. Man problems. So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He paused, holding back the next words he wanted to say. "Sleep tight," Sasuke finished.

The sentiment had almost come out without a second thought. Love you. That's what he'd wanted to say, what he'd meant to say. But at the last moment, Sasuke had censored himself, wondering if it was too much too soon. The words didn't always have to have such serious meaning, did they? He did love Sakura, but those feelings had changed and the words had now taken on a much deeper significance.

Being with Sakura again had brought back a piece of his life that had been missing. She made him believe it was possible to find a bestfriend and a lover in one person. And it wasn't a stretch to add wife to that list.

Sasuke shook his head. He'd never thought much about marriage. Maybe he always knew in some secret corner of his mind that there was only one woman for him. He stopped, and then cursed softly. Was it supposed to be this easy? He'd always assumed that it would take forever to fall in love and even longer to figure out whether that love could survive marriage. But suddenly, it all seemed so simple.

Sasuke's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket and squinted at the caller ID. He smiled when he recognized Sakura's number.

"Hey," he said. "Did you get my message?"

"Yes. What's going on? What are man problems?"

"A couple of days ago, I told Itachi if he wanted to have sex before he and Mika were married, he should just tell Mika and they should do it. I guess it didn't go so well."

"How did it not go well? Did Mika refuse?"

"No. She jumped at the chance. She agreed and then they tried and Itachi couldn't perform."

"Oh," Sakura said. "That's got to be a little scary. I mean, she was holding out, hoping it would be the most wonderful thing in the world and then…" She drew a deep breath. "Thank God this didn't happen on their wedding night. Can you imagine what a disappointment that would have been?"

"So I guess this plays into our plan," Sasuke said. "They're obviously both having doubts right about now."

A long silence came from the other end of the line and for a moment, Sasuke thought the call had been dropped. "So we should continue?" she finally asked.

"I guess so," Sasuke said. "What do we know about their relationship? Hell, we can't even figure out what's going on between us."

"Sex," Sakura said. "Lust. Curiosity."

"And that's all?"

"What else would there be?" she replied.

He cursed the fact that they were discussing this over the phone instead of face-to-face. He couldn't read her expression, couldn't look into her eyes for the truth of her words. "You tell me."

"I don't know. What do you want me to say? I don't know what's going on any more than you do. When the week is over, I guess we'll have to figure it all out."

"Right," Sasuke said. He glanced over his shoulder. "I should go back to Itachi. He's going to want to talk and I told him I was going to grab some beer from the house."

"Mika and I are driving into Suna tomorrow morning," Sakura said. "She wants to check on the cake and some friends of hers are throwing a wedding shower. So I guess I'll see you sometime tomorrow night. Enjoy the strip club."

"Are you jealous, Sakura?"

"No! I don't care if you look at naked women. Why would that bother me?"

"Because it would be nice if you were a little jealous. I'd like to think that you care enough about me to be worried."

"Maybe I'll have to give you a lap dance the next time I see you," she said in a teasing voice.

"Thanks for the image," he murmured. "Now I'm never going to get to sleep."

"Good night, Sasuke."

"Good night, Sakura." He waited until she hung up before he switched off his phone. This was a strange, new feeling, Sasuke mused. They were almost acting like a…a couple. And even more surprising was that Sasuke didn't mind it at all. He wanted Sakura to feel possessive and jealous and worried. Whether she was willing to admit it or not, she cared about him maybe loved him a little bit. And maybe he loved her a little bit, too.

* * *

**AN: Thats the eight chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 160-180 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 9 is on the works...and it will be a bit slow on the update since I've only started typing it and I'm trying to make it a longer chapter. So please wait for me! Arigato!**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	10. Chapter 9

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is all about Sasuke and Sakura; and also Itachi and Mika relationships. **

**Warning: Shower limey AND Lemon (twice!! whoop!! hope you will enjoy reading them!) [I think I've outdone myself :D] Drama and problems. Hope you'll still enjoy the chapter! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 9.. read on and enjoy! Sorry for the late update.  
**

**_THIS CHAPTER IS MY GIFT FOR MYSELF AND TO YOU MY WONDERFUL READERS! ONTANJOUBI OMEDETOU FOR MYSELF!!_**

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Chapter 9

"I DON'T SEE WHY we had to leave. I was having a good time," Itachi complained, his words slurred by all the beer he'd drunk.

Sasuke glanced over at his little brother. He'd never expected Itachi to enjoy himself as much as he had. In truth, Sasuke had thought they'd spend an hour at the club and then head over to Kiba's to find the girls. Sasuke had finally convinced Itachi to drag himself away from the dazzling charms of Karin Fugiwara and check up on his fiancée.

Though Sakura might be worried about his night with naked women, Sasuke had much more cause to worry about her. He knew how he felt. She was the one who'd just dumped her boyfriend and tumbled into bed with the first man who tried to seduce her. Although Sasuke would like to believe Sakura only had eyes for him, a few fruity drinks and some male attention could do a lot to a girl's memory.

"You know those girls were only being friendly to you because you were buying them champagne. They get a cut of everything you spend on them."

"But they were nice," Itachi said. "Especially that Karin. She's going to meet us at Kiba's."

"You invited a stripper to meet us?" Sasuke shook his head. This was in addition to the Wedding Crasher plan. Stripper and fiancée meet. Sasuke wasn't sure any relationship could weather that particular event.

"Karin Fugiwara. Do you think that's her real name?"

He was actually feeling a bit guilty about the evening, but this was ridiculous. If his little brother was this naïve about strippers, then he had absolutely no business getting married. There were certain things a guy needed to know and Itachi's education had obviously fallen woefully short. "Have you ever been to a strip club?" Sasuke asked.

"Sure," Itachi mumbled, resting his head on the cold window. "But never one where the strippers were so nice. Do you think Mika would mind if I invited Karin to the wedding?"

"No," Sasuke said. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. And mom would be thrilled to meet her, too. Maybe she could wear that little outfit that she danced in."

"You know, she doesn't want to be a stripper all her life," Itachi said. "She actually wants to be a professional cheerleader. Or a dancer in Vegas."

"Please tell me it's the liquor talking," Sasuke murmured.

"Yeah, it's the liquor talking," Itachi said. "But I'm moving my own lips."

The next time Sasuke glanced over at Itachi, he was asleep, his face smashed against the frosty window, his breath creating a tiny clear spot. Sasuke had to wonder about the sense of this plan that he and Sakura had set in motion. When booze was mixed into the equation, there was every chance that things could go bad very quickly. Add a stripper to the mix and disaster was guaranteed. Were her and Sakura really ready to deal with the fallout from this evening? Sasuke wondered. And would this be a true test of the commitment between Itachi and Mika or just a blatant manipulation?

When he reached Kiba's roadhouse, Sasuke pulled into a far corner of the parking lot. But instead of waking Itachi up, he decided to go inside and find Sakura and call this whole thing off. They'd gone far enough and it was time to put this wedding back in Itachi and Mika's hands. He didn't want to spend the rest of their week together thinking about Itachi and Mika. He wanted to focus on Sakura.

Sasuke quietly slipped out of the truck and locked the door behind him. Though it was cold out, Itachi could survive for the five minutes it would take to grab Sakura and Mika and convince them to go home.

Sasuke paid the cover charge at the door, and then pushed through the crowd, squinting in the dark to locate the Haruno sisters. He immediately saw Mika on the dance floor, dressed in a shockingly sexy outfit of skin-tight jeans, a sheer blouse and some kind of underwear beneath it.

She was dancing with a scruffy-looking young man in a backward baseball cap, the two of them laughing and waving their arms along with a Ne-Yo song. Sasuke's gaze continued to skim the crowd and he saw Sakura standing near the edge of the dance floor. He cursed softly when he saw Sai Muguruma standing next to her.

Sasuke felt his fingers clench into a fist. Why did that guy get on his nerves so much? It was obvious from the way they were standing that there was nothing going on between them. But still, he'd never liked competing for Sakura's attention, even when they were kids. And he liked it a lot less now that they were adults.

He wove through the patrons until he stepped up beside her. "Sakura," he shouted. She jumped at first at the sound of his voice, but when she turned and saw him, Sakura gave him a smile of relief. "Hey, Muguruma," he said, giving the cop a nod.

Sai smiled. "You two better take that girl home," he said, pointing at Mika with the neck of his beer bottle. "I think she's had enough."

"Where is Itachi?" Sakura shouted.

"In the car. Drunk and asleep." He took her hand and pulled her along toward the door. When they got there, he glanced back at Sai Muguruma. The guy didn't look happy, but he hadn't tried to stop Sakura from leaving. Then he looked at Mika. "She looks like she's having a little too much fun."

Sakura nodded. "That's because she's had a little too much tequila. It won't seem like fun in the morning. She's dancing with some guy named Suigetsu. He seems harmless enough."

They stepped outside into the chilly night air and walked around the corner of the building. The moment they reached a private spot, Sasuke grabbed Sakura, pressed her back against the wall and kissed her. It wasn't an expression of lust or even affection. He needed reassurance that nothing had changed in the hours that they'd been apart. When she responded, Sasuke felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

"That's better," he murmured. His hand slipped beneath her jacket and slowly searched for bare skin. When he found it, he splayed his hand across the small of her back. "You're so warm."

Sakura shivered, her teeth chattering. "Not for long. My car is parked over there. Let's get out of the cold." She handed Sasuke the keys and they hurried over to the spot where she'd left her rental. Sasuke let her in the passenger side and then hopped behind the wheel. He started the engine and turned on the heater. "It'll take a while to warm up."

"I'm starting to think this whole thing was a really bad idea," Sakura said, rubbing her hands together.

Sasuke took her fingers between his and blew on them. "Me, too."

"What ever made us think this was the right thing to do?"

"Maybe we're transferring our own fears about commitment to Itachi and Mika. I mean, they seem to know what they're doing and we haven't had much success in that department."

"Well, a little success," Sakura murmured, staring at her fingers as he kissed each one. "Just since we came home."

Sasuke smiled and pressed her hands to his chest. "Yeah. A little. More than a little, I'd say." He reached out and slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her closer. He'd spent the evening looking at naked women and he hadn't been the slightest bit affected. But the moment he touched Sakura, his desire warmed and his pulse raced.

"Do you think if we crawled in the back seat and took all our clothes off anyone would notice?" Sasuke murmured. "People make love in roadhouse parking lots all the time."

Sakura laughed. "Don't you think it would be easier if we just went back to the inn?"

"Only if you do that lap dance you promised me," he said.

"All right," Sakura replied. "I think I can do that."

"We'll go inside, get Mika, then dump them both in Mika's room at the inn and let them figure this out for themselves."

"Good plan."

They both jumped out of the car and hurried back to the front door, but a small crowd had gathered outside. "What's going on?" Sasuke asked.

"There's a fight," one of the girls said. "Some guy and his fiancée and a stripper."

Sasuke groaned. "Oh, hell." He turned to Sakura. "You stay here. I'll be right back." An instant later, the sounds of a siren could be heard in the distance.

"Get Mika," Sakura cried. "Before she gets hurt."

Sasuke pressed through the crush of people leaving the bar and when he finally got inside, the place was lit up and emptied of half the patrons. The band was lounging around the stage and a small group was gathered in the middle of the dance floor. Mika and Itachi were sitting on the floor; Karin was holding her nose and arguing with Sai Muguruma and a guy that Sasuke recognized as Mika's dance partner was laid out flat in front of them all, his hands clutching his crotch.

Sasuke strode up to the group. "What's going on here?"

"Just step back," Muguruma warned. "Everything is under control."

"This is my brother and my future sister-in-law. I want to take them home."

Muguruma glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke and shook his head. "I'm going to have to take your brother and his fiancée in. they started this brawl. Assault, public intoxication—"

"They're in a bar," Sasuke said. "Everyone is intoxicated."

"You can meet them down at the station. We'll get things sorted out there."

"Come on," Sasuke said. "Don't be a hard-ass Muguruma. No one was seriously hurt here."

"She hit me in the nose!" Karin cried.

"She ran into my elbow," Mika countered. "I was trying to help Suigetsu up after Itachi kicked him n the crotch. And she got in the way."

"I didn't kick him," Itachi said.

"Yeah, you did, man," Suigetsu groaned from the floor.

Itachi shrugged. "It was a knee to the crotch, not a kick."

"Isn't there a fine I can pay right away and we can take care of this mess without wasting any more time?" Sasuke asked.

"What's going on here?" They all turned to look at Sakura as she joined the group, a worried expression furrowing her brow.

"I'm breaking up with Itachi," Mika announced. "We're not getting married."

"You can't break up with me," Itachi countered, "because I already broke up with you."

Mika sent him a withering glare. "You have no reason to break up with me. I was just dancing with Suigetsu. I wasn't dancing _on_ him like that stripper was doing to you."

"I'm not a stripper," Karin said. "I prefer exotic dancer."

"You invited her to our wedding!" Mika cried. "Sometimes, I wonder if you even have a brain in your head."

"And sometimes I wonder if you have heart." Itachi shot back.

"Enough!" Muguruma shouted. "There will be no more talking. Or I'll throw all of you behind bars."

"Can I go now?" Suigetsu asked. "I've got to start packing up the van. I'm with the band." He slowly got to his feet, wincing slightly as he straightened up. "I'm not pressing chargers."

"Neither am I," Karin said. She wandered over to Suigetsu and smiled coyly. "So you're with the band? I love musicians."

The pair wandered off toward the stage and Officer Muguruma started after them. Then he turned and pointed to Mika and Itachi. "Don't move," he ordered.

Sasuke glanced over at Sakura and shrugged. "Maybe you can talk to him. He seems to like you more than he likes me." He watched as Sakura tried to plead their case. Though he hated sending her back to Muguruma, he was certain there'd be no chance she'd be leaving with him.

A few seconds later, Sakura returned, a satisfied smile on her face. "We can take them home," she murmured. "He's letting them off, but only if they agreed to stay out of trouble for the rest of their time here."

"What did you have to promise him in return?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing. He's doing it as a favour to me."

Sasuke cursed softly and looked down at Itachi and Mika. "It would probably do them some good to spend a night in jail."

Sakura shook her head and held out her hand to her sister. "Come on. Let's get out of here. I'll take Mika back to the inn and you bring Itachi."

Itachi also stumbled to his feet and brushed his jeans off. "This is your entire fault," he muttered to Sasuke. "We should have just stayed at the strip club. I was having fun there."

They walked out to the parking lot together, Itachi and Mika silent and sullen with Sasuke and Sakura standing between them. As Sakura started toward her car, Sasuke grabbed her hand. "I'll see you later?" he asked.

Sakura nodded then walked away, slipping her arm around Mika's shoulders as they walked off. Itachi stared after them, an enigmatic expression on his face.

"You're not really going to call off the wedding are you?" Sasuke asked.

"I think we are," he murmured, before he turned in the opposite direction.

They didn't speak during the ride home, Itachi lost in his thoughts and Sasuke unwilling to meddle even further. Though he and Sakura had achieved their goal, now that the wedding is off, Sasuke wondered whether they'd gone too far.

While his feelings for Sakura ran deep, he knew that they were also very fragile; would they suffer at the first test or would they endure? He knew how he felt, but he still couldn't be sure of Sakura's feelings. Now that he'd fallen, Sasuke was wondering if the risk was worth the reward. Losing Sakura would be much more difficult the second time around.

* * *

WHEN SAKURA FINALLY RETURNED to her room at the inn, Sasuke was asleep in her bed, his naked body twisted in the sheets, his hair falling in waves across his forehead. Sakura stripped of her clothes and tossed them against the wall, crinkling her nose at the scent of stale beer and cigarette smoke.

She glanced over at the clock on the nightstand and sighed softly. It was nearly 3:00a.m. She'd spent the past three hours with Mika, trying to convince her to reconsider cancelling the wedding and listing all of Itachi's good qualities over and over again.

She couldn't believe Mika was so quick to dismiss her engagement. Sakura realized that emotions ran much higher with all the alcohol that had been consumed, but Mika seemed perfectly lucid and determined to leave Itachi and her wedding plans behind. She'd even called the airline to buy a ticket back to Boston on the fist flight out in the morning.

Did anyone ever find a lasting love? Or was it all just an illusion, as shiny and clear as glass until something came along to shatter it? Did people stay in relationships only because they were too stubborn to admit defeat?

Sakura knew her parents loved each other. They'd been together almost thirty years. And Sasuke's parents often acted like newlyweds. So why was it so hard for her to believe in love?

She walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her, then turned on the shower, ignoring the urge to crawl into bed with Sasuke. It would be so easy to find comfort in his arms. She felt safe with him. But were her feelings real or were they just part of a fantasy that she was only now having the chance to live out?

There was no doubt in her mind that everything between them had changed. He'd become a part of her life and not a part she could easily excise. In truth, she couldn't imagine living without him. Yet, she couldn't quite figure out how she could live with him.

How would it work? Would they call it an affair? A relationship? An arrangement? Friends with benefits, she mused. That's what they had now, wasn't it? But for them to continue, they'd have to give it a name.

A soft knock sounded on the bathroom door before it slowly opened. Sasuke stepped inside, his naked body beautiful in even the harsh fluorescent light. He slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"Is everything all right?"

"I just needed to take a shower. I smell like smoke."

"How's Mika?"

"Still drunk, still furious with Itachi and ready to go back to Boston in the morning."

Sasuke took her hand and pulled her along to the shower stall, then opened the glass door. He stepped inside, the water hitting his naked body and sluicing over his skin. Sakura followed him, stepping right into his embrace.

His fingers furrowed through her hair and he kissed her, his tongue slipping between her lips to taste her mouth. The moment their bodies touched, every doubt and insecurity seemed to vanish. Why was it so easy to believe in love when they were making love and so hard to understand it when they were apart?

Sasuke drew back and stared down into her eyes, then reached out to touch her breast. He cupped her warm flesh gently, running his thumb over her nipple until it became a stiff peak. Then he smoothed his hand along her hip, his fingers soft and teasing.

Sakura reached out and brushed her fingers against his hard shaft. It had taken only a moment for him to become aroused and she found her power over him satisfying. Sasuke moaned softly as she wrapped her fingers around his heat.

Already, his body was so familiar to her. She knew how he'd react to her touch, the way his breath would catch in his throat, the sound of his voice whispering her name, the feel of his body tensing just before he reached his release.

Sasuke grabbed her waist and slowly backed her up against the tile wall of the shower. He kissed the curve of her neck and then moved lower, teasing at her nipple with his tongue. "Tell me what you want, Sakura," he murmured as he gently caressed her nipple.

"You," she said. "Inside me."

He dropped his hand to the soft curve of her backside and gently squeezed. "Tell me how."

"First, you have to kiss me in just the right way."

Sasuke gave it his best effort, kissing her gently at first and then with growing urgency, dragging his tongue along the crease of her mouth until she surrendered completely. Her knees went soft and she felt herself melt in his arms, the warm water rushing over them both.

"That's a start," she murmured.

Sasuke slowly trailed kisses over her shoulder and down her arm. When he knelt in front of her, Sakura raked her fingers through his wet hair, pulling him away when his tongue tickled.

He was so beautiful, so incredibly sexy. She couldn't imagine ever feeling this attracted to another man. There seemed to be electricity that crackled between them every time they were together. Just one touch of his fingers to her bare skin was all it took for the attraction to overwhelm them both.

Sasuke's lips trailed lower, until he found the dampness between her legs. She was already aroused and the moment he touched her there, her body jerked in response. "I love that I can touch you like this," he murmured. "That there's nothing left to stop us." He gently parted her legs, tasting her until she writhed against him.

"Oh," she breathed. "Oh, right there."

As he brought her closer and closer to her release, Sakura murmured his name urgently, her fingers twisted tightly in his hair. Sasuke followed her cues, dragging her back from the edge when she got too close. It wasn't enough. She didn't want to experience this pleasure by herself.

She drew him back to his feet, tugging gently on his hair until he stood in front of her. Sasuke knew what she wanted without her even needing to tell him. He stepped back and gave her a crooked smile. "I have to go get a condom."

Sakura grabbed his hand and shook her head. "It's all right," she said. "You don't have to worry."

"Are you sure?"

Sakura nodded. She'd been on the pill for years and it had always seemed like such a practical thing. But now, it was liberating. She trusted Sasuke and he trusted her. She wanted to experience him without any barriers between them. And if they had this one night together, this chance to possess each other completely, then it would be enough. Sakura didn't care what came later as long as this came now.

She turned off the shower, and then pulled him along to the bed, their bodies dripping water on the carpet. She lay back on the mattress and Sasuke braced himself above her. Gently, she guided him to her entrance and he closed his eyes the moment they touched.

Slowly, exquisitely, he pushed inside of her, filling her inch by inch until he was buried deep. Sakura felt the muscles in his body tense, but he didn't give in. Instead, he began to move.

She closed her eyes and focused on the sensations that washed over her body. She was already so close, but this seemed to take her to a higher level, the need growing more intense with each stroke and thrust of his hips. _This was paradise,_ she thought. There was nothing more perfect. Every year that had passed since that night of her eighteenth birthday had led them to this moment.

"I want you," he murmured. "Cum for me, Sakura."

He increased his pace and Sakura felt herself dancing on the edge. And when her release came, it came so fast that it caught her by surprise. She cried out his name and the pleasure shook her body, stealing her ability to think.

It was enough to send him over the edge and Sasuke surrendered a moment later. It was simple, uncomplicated and pure, the two of them searching for release and finding it with each other.

He was like an addiction, a craving that she could only satisfy for a short time. Though she felt sated now, Sakura knew she'd want more, each time searching for that certainty, that knowledge that this was something that might last. He rolled over, gathering her in his arms and nuzzling into the curve of her neck. "Can we stay here forever?" he murmured.

"I think the maid will probably discover us when she comes to make the bed and do the vacuuming," Sakura joked.

Sasuke pushed up on his elbow. "You're supposed to say yes," he teased. "Or I'll feel as if you weren't well satisfied."

"I was," she said.

They lay together, wrapped in each other's arms, for a long time. Sakura listened to his breathing. He wasn't asleep and she wondered what he was thinking. But she was afraid to ask. They'd so carefully avoided the subject of the future, but it was coming at them quickly.

"What are we going to do about Mika and Itachi?" she asked. "We're going to have to figure out a way to get them back together."

"I know."

Sakura nodded. "I think they might actually love each other. And if it weren't for our meddling, this wouldn't have happened. So we have to fix it." She drew a ragged breath. "We have to."

"All right," Sasuke said, his hand slowly caressing her breast. "How are we going to do that?"

"I don't know. We have to make _them_ want each other, the way _we_ want each other."

"I don't think there's another man on the planet who wants a woman the way _I_ want _you_," Sasuke murmured.

"Don't you wonder?" Sakura said. "Is this unusual? Are we an…aberration?"

Sasuke answered before he even considered her question. "This is the way it was meant to be with us," he said.

"What are we going to do when this is over?"

The question seemed to take him by surprise and this time, he didn't have a quick and easy answer. "I don't know, Sakura," he said. "I don't want to think about that."

"Promise me this," she said. "Promise me that before either one of us begins a life with someone else, we'll meet back here and be together, just to be sure."

"I promise," he said. "We can come every summer and we can stay at Havenwoods. No one will know we're here. And it'll be just us. For as long as we're both…free."

Sakura snuggled up against his body, pressing her face into his warm skin. _It was enough for now_, she thought to herself. She would have time to figure out how she felt, time to see if this need for Sasuke would fade with time and distance between them. And if it didn't, then Sasuke would be there for her. He'd promised.

* * *

SASUKE AWOKE WITH A START. Sakura shook him again and he turned to look at her. "What?" he murmured, rubbing his eyes.

"Wake up. It's nine in the morning. We overslept."

Sasuke rolled over on his stomach and snuggled into the pillows on Sakura's bed. "I'm going to sleep in. I had a late night last night."

"And what are you going to tell your mother when she finds you missing?"

"I'm going to tell her that I drove into Suna early to check up on things at the office and then stopped for breakfast on the way home. So we actually have the entire morning to spend in bed. It's a three-hour drive each way plus an hour at the office and another hour at breakfast."

Sakura smiled. "And what if they see your truck in the parking lot?"

"I parked in the back," Sasuke said.

"All right. I give up," Sakura said. "We can spend the morning in bed."

Sasuke grinned and dropped a kiss on each naked breast. "Good. I knew you wouldn't need a lot of convincing."

She curled back up beside him, wrapping his arms slipping around her waist. Suddenly, she drew a sharp breath. "We can't stay in bed. We have to fix Mika and Itachi." Throwing aside the covers, she stumbled to her feet, and then searched the room for her clothes.

Sakura's hair was wild around her face. She'd gone to bed with it wet and it had dried into a mass of waves and curls. "Mika said she was going to leave this morning. She may already be gone. And Itachi has probably spilled the beans to the family. We have to fix that first, and then we'll deal with us later."

Sasuke closed his eyes, his mind skipping back to the events the previous evening. He wondered how long it would take for the news of the cancelled wedding to work its way through the Uchiharu grapevine. Itachi was probably sleeping off his hangover, but once he got up, he'd inform every one of the details—including the roles of Sasuke and Sakura had played in the breakup.

Sasuke tossed back the covers. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I was hoping you'd have an idea. We don't have a lot of time left," Sakura said.

Sasuke smoothed his hand over her thigh, and then moved higher, wondering if he might tempt her just a little bit. Sakura closed her eyes and moaned softly. "Don't," she whispered.

"I have to," Sasuke replied.

"You have to go talk to Itachi," she said.

He slid his fingers into her dampness. "I will, as soon as I take care of this."

"We'll have time for this later," she whispered. "I promise."

Sasuke was well aware of how much time they had left. A week had seemed like forever when he'd first found her in bed with him. But the days seemed to dissolve in front of him until he was faced with the fact that there would be an end to this fantasy.

"Not later," he said. "Now." He grabbed her waist and pulled her on top of him, then caught her wrist behind her back. "Tell me you want me." Sasuke pulled her down into a long, deep and passionate kiss. "Say it and I'll let you go."

"I do want you," Sakura murmured. She shifted above him, his rock-hard cock pressed between her legs. "I do."

Sasuke released her wrists, but Sakura didn't move away. Instead, she raked her hands through his hair and returned his kiss, her tongue teasing at his. It was as if she'd sense his desperation, heard the clock ticking on their time together. _It was the end of the summer again_, Sasuke thought to himself. It had happened every year, the waning season stealing her away from him once again. But this time would be different. This time, he could ask her to stay.

Sasuke cupped her face in his hands and looked into her sleepy gaze. "What are we going to do about this?" he murmured. "Tell me."

Sakura reached for him and a moment later he was inside her. "We can do anything we want," she said as she lowered herself on top of him. "We're not kids anymore."

They made love slowly, building the passion between them with soft kisses and gentle caresses. As he touched her, Sasuke memorized the feel of her body, the sound of her voice. After she was gone, he wanted to recall every detail. And when they finally surrendered to each other, it was as it had been from the start—_**perfect**_.

As she snuggled against his chest, Sasuke buried his face in Sakura's hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. There were so many things he had to say to her, but he just couldn't seem to put them into coherent sentences. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him. He wanted to promise her that they'd be together forever, no matter what happened. But he was afraid that saying too much too soon might scare her away rather than bring her closer.

"If only Mika and Itachi were doing what we are right now," Sakura murmured. "We wouldn't need to fix anything."

"Maybe there's a way to get them there," Sasuke said, toying with a strand of her hair. "If you wanted to plan the perfect seduction, what would you need?"

"You'd have to have a location where you'd be completely alone with nothing to disturb you," Sakura began.

"We have that. Havenwoods. What else?"

"Champagne, good things to eat, a fireplace." Sakura giggled. "Whipped cream, honey, chocolate syrup."

"You've got to have sexy underwear," Sasuke said. "I love those, what do you call them, they hold up stockings?"

"Garter belts," Sakura said. "All men love those."

"Is there any place in town where you can get those? And black fishnet stockings. And one of those push-up bras. And a thong."

"I can see your evening at the strip club has made you an expert. Most women think those things are trashy. They want something pretty, feminine…but sexy."

Sasuke crawled out of bed, then grabbed his boxers and pulled them on. If he didn't get dressed, he'd never get out of Sakura's bed. "I'll buy the champagne and the groceries. You find the lingerie. Then you get Mika and I'll grab Itachi and I'll meet you at noon at Havenwoods. We'll lock them in and we won't let them out until they work out all their issues."

"And what will we do?"

"We'll sit back and wait," Sasuke said, "and hope that at least some of our sexual DNA is pumping through their veins."

A knock sounded on her room door and Sakura bolted upright, her eyes wide. "Yes?"

"Sakura? It's Mika. I'm packed and I'm ready to leave. I was hoping you might take me to the airport."

"What time is your flight?"

"It's later this afternoon. But I want to go. I don't want to see Itachi."

"Just give me a minute," Sakura said. "I'll meet you downstairs. We'll have some breakfast."

"All right," Mika said.

Sakura threw on her clothes, and then raked her fingers through her tangled hair. "All right. I think I can stall her. But you're going to have to do the shopping. Don't get fishnets or a thong. Just get a pretty camisole and some sexy panties. There's a bath store just a few doors down from that restaurant with the dango and cinnamon buns. They'll be open in an hour. I'll call and tell them what you need. Then, I'll bring Mika out to Havenwoods at noon."

Sasuke grabbed her around the waist and gave her a long, lingering kiss. "Noon," he said. "Once we get them settled, then you and I are going to spend the rest of the afternoon together."

Sakura drew a deep breath and moved toward the door. But Sasuke caught her fingers in his and she turned to look at him. "What?"

"I'm glad we didn't do it that night on the beach," he said.

"You are?"

"It wouldn't have been like this," he said.

"Nothing has ever been quite like this," she admitted.

Sasuke drew his thumb across her lower lip, and then kissed her again. "Sometimes I wonder, though. I wonder if we would have done it, maybe we would have been the two getting married instead of Itachi and Mika. Maybe it would have the start of something for us." He chuckled softly. "Maybe we were supposed to be together and we just got it all wrong."

"Or maybe we'd be the ones having doubts," Sakura said.

Sasuke smiled, and then waited as she walked out. It was no longer possible to separate his life from Sakura's. Every thought of the future, whether it was a day away or years away, it always came back to her.

* * *

**AN: Thats the ninth chapter complete. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 190-210 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 10 is on the works...and it will be a bit slow on the update since I've only started typing it. So please wait for me! Arigato!**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	11. Chapter 10

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is about Sasuke and Sakura's plans to get Itachi and Mika either back together again. Also maybe some revelation about Sasuke and Sakura's "relationship". **

**Warning: Humour..Fluff..maybe a little Drama with Itachi and Mika Hope you'll still enjoy the chapter! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 10.. read on and enjoy! Sorry for the late update.  
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Chapter 10

"I THINK THEY'LL BE ALL RIGHT," Mika said. "Mama seemed upset, but I don't think she'd want me to get married just so she won't have to waste all that lobster we ordered."

Sakura glanced both ways, and then pulled the car out onto the road into North Lake. She'd agreed to drive Mika to the airport to catch her flight back to Boston under the condition that Mika go to the lake house first and explain what had happened to the family. Now that she'd completed that task, there would be one more little detour.

"Don't you think you're being a bit hasty about this, Mika? You were drunk last night and you and Itachi haven't even tried to work this out."

"Itachi is an idiot," Mika said. "And I need to get back to Boston. I don't know what ever made me think we were meant for each other. I'm young. I should be out there exploring my options, not tying myself down with a guy who socializes with strippers."

"Itachi had a little too much to drink. And I think it would be silly to throw your relationship away over one little indiscretion." Sakura paused. "He didn't cheat, he was just being friendly. Instead of running away from your problems, you and Itachi need to put some serious thought into what you both expect from marriage. But that takes discussion, not a drunken brawl at a roadhouse and you running off too Boston."

"I don't want to talk to him," Mika said stubbornly.

"Do you still love him?"

Mika turned her head away and stared out the window. "I don't know."

They drove through town in silence and headed out on the East Shore Road, Sakura watching for the sign for Havenwoods. It was only a few minutes before Mika realized that they weren't travelling toward the interstate. "Where are we going?"

"I want to show you something," Sakura said. "Sasuke showed it to me a few days ago." She turned into the drive and carefully navigated the curves down to the main house.

"What is this?"

"You'll see," Sakura said.

She stopped the car in front of the house. Sasuke emerged from the house, stepping out onto the wide porch. A few moments later, Itachi appeared in the doorway. Mika glanced over at Sakura then looked out the window at her former fiancé. "What's going on?"

"You and Itachi need to talk. Sasuke and I thought it would be best if you had a place where you could be completely alone and undisturbed."

"I have a plane to catch," Mika insisted.

"That can wait."

"What is this place? Some kind of haunted house?"

"It's not as bad as it looks. It's quiet and secluded. And kind of romantic." Sakura got out of the car, giving Mika no choice but to follow. When she joined Sasuke on the porch, he handed her the bag from the lingerie shop.

"I couldn't resist the garter belt," he murmured.

Mika joined them on the porch and Sakura passed the bag to her. "You might need this," she said.

Mika peered inside, and then withdrew a sexy black camisole and panties, followed by the garter belt and black stockings. "I thought you said we were supposed to talk."

"This meant to help the conversation along."

"Hello, Mika," Itachi said, stepping out of the doorway onto the porch. His gaze searched her face, but she refused to look at him.

"Hello, idiot," she muttered.

"Rule number one," Sasuke said. "No name-calling." He started down the length of the porch, then motioned Itachi and Mika to follow. When they reached the lake side of the house, they walked down the snow-packed path to the summer kitchen. "All right. You'll stay here until you've worked things out. When you've both come to a rational decision about your future together, you can leave a lantern burning in the window and we'll come and get you. There's food and firewood inside. There's a bathroom through the small door near the fireplace. I want you both to go inside, take off your jackets, your shoes and the rest of your clothes and put them on the porch. I'll give them back to you when it's time to leave."

"What?" Itachi said.

"I'm not giving you my clothes," Mika said.

"Do we really need their clothes?" Sakura asked.

"They can't run away if we have their clothes," Sasuke explained. "Unless they want to trudge through the snow in their bare feet, they won't be going anywhere."

"I'm not going to marry him," Mika said. "You could lock me up and throw away the key and I still wouldn't change my mind."

"I wouldn't marry her if she were the last person on earth," Itachi countered.

"Fine," Sasuke said. "If that's what you decide. But you're going to come out of this with an understanding and a respect for each other. Our families have been friends for years and you're not going to mess this up because you both want to carry a grudge. You're the pair who started this and if you're going to end it, then do it right. Either you leave here as two friends or as two people about to be married, I don't care which."

"Where are we supposed to sleep?" Itachi asked.

"There's a cot inside and warm blankets."

"I'll just call someone to come and get us."

"There's no phone inside," Sasuke said. "And I have your cell phone. And Sakura borrowed Mika's phone. You'll talk to each other and that's it. Now, Sakura and I will be back to check up on you tomorrow morning."

"You can't do this," Itachi said. "You're supposed to be on _my_ side."

Sasuke shrugged. "Yeah, I can do this."

"Sakura, you can't leave me here," Mika said.

"Maybe we should let them keep their clothes," Sakura suggested. "The jackets and pants and shoes will be enough to keep them from running away."

"I wouldn't bet on it," Itachi muttered. "You know, when the owner finds out that you kept us here, there'll be trouble. I could charge you with—with kidnapping. Or unlawful imprisonment. Or—or—"

"I know the owner and he won't mind," Sasuke said. "Now get inside and start undressing."

Grudgingly, Mika and Itachi disappeared inside the summer kitchen and a few minutes later, they tossed their jackets, pants and shoes out onto the porch. Sakura gave Sasuke an optimistic smile. "That didn't go so badly."

"Maybe we should wait around for a little while just to make sure they don't kill each other."

"Good idea."

Sasuke grabbed her hand and they walked back to the main house. He opened the front door and she walked inside. Sakura looked at the house differently now that she knew it was Sasuke's home. She could imagine herself there on a warm summer day, all the windows thrown open to catch the breeze. The birds would sing from the trees and at night the leaves would rustle. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent, determined to remember it.

"I love this place. I can just imagine what it was like years ago, without television and speedboats and electricity. It must have been so relaxing to live that way. To just slow down and let life happen."

"I've thought about restoring the place to its original state," Sasuke said, stepping behind her and slipping his arms around her waist.

His touch sent her pulse racing and she leaned back against him and smiled. "Really? You could live like that?"

"I wouldn't take out the electricity and the plumbing. I think the lack of conveniences might wear a little thin, especially in the middle of winter. I'd be chopping firewood twenty-four hours a day just to stay warm. But it would be alright to just turn it all off."

"Maybe for a day. But I really like hot shower in the morning."

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "What happened to your sense of adventure? You've gotten to be very high maintenance, haven't you?"

Sakura turned in his arms. "I'm still adventurous. And there are things you can do in a shower that you can't do washing up in the sink."

He growled softly, remembering their late-night lovemaking. "Yeah, I can see that. But skinny-dipping in the lake could be lots of fun, too."

"So what are we going to do here? We gave Itachi and Mika the only bed."

Sasuke kissed her neck. "I was going to go up to the attic and look for the doors to the sun porch," he said. "Or we can find something more interesting to do. The grease trap in the sink needs to be cleaned. And I think there's a dead mouse in the linen closet."

"Let's go up in the attic," Sakura said.

"There may be spiders. Or bats."

"It'll be an adventure," she teased.

Sasuke fetched a flashlight from the kitchen and they walked to the rear bedroom. He opened a door to reveal a stairway. They'd explore every inch of this house when they were kids, but Sakura didn't remember ever venturing into the attic. "Have you been up here?"

"A couple of times," he said. "Watch out. The stairs are steep. You go first."

Sakura stared up into the dark attic and shook her head. "You go first."

"You're the adventurous one."

"It's your house."

"I'll give you a thousand yen if you go first."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "What a baby you are." She squinted up into the darkness. "What are you looking for?"

"Doors. There should be two doors that used to hang in the entrances to the solarium. The doors that are there are too new. They have bevelled glass windows; whish isn't something that Hashirama would have chosen. I'm hoping the originals are up there."

The attic wasn't as nearly as bad as Sakura thought it would be. Though everything was covered with a thick coating of dust, it was tidy and snug. "I wonder what's in these trunks."

Sasuke shrugged. "Probably something creepy."

"Like what? A dead body?" Sakura knelt down on the floor. "Hold the flashlight on this latch," she said.

"The doors won't be in there. They're huge."

"I know. But aren't you curious as to what's in here? It might be something interesting." Sakura tugged at the latch and it flipped open. "If there's a skeleton in here, I'm going to scream."

"So am I," Sasuke said.

But when Sakura opened the trunk, she found it filled with bundles of letters and greeting cards, old gramophone records and books. She pulled out one of the books and flipped through it. "It's a journal," she said. She grabbed a bigger book and found photographs inside. Sakura handed it to Sasuke, and then glanced around the attic. "Is there a gramophone up here?"

Sasuke scanned the room with the flashlight, letting it come to rest on a covered silhouette on a table. "I think that's it. Can we look for my doors now, please?"

"This is more interesting than your doors," she said. Sakura pointed to the far wall. "Is that them?"

Sasuke grinned. "I think so. Come on; let's see if we can get them downstairs."

"Forget the doors right now." She walked around the chest. "If you pick up that end, I bet we could get it downstairs."

They wrestled the trunk to the stairway and manoeuvred it around the old wooden banister. But as they began to take it down the steep stairs, Sakura lost her grip. The leather handle had deteriorated with age and it broke; the trunk slammed down on her toes.

"Ow! Oh, that hurts. Pull it down."

Sasuke let the trunk slide to the bottom of the stairs, and then climbed up to where she stood. "What's wrong?"

"It smashed my toe. Ow." Her eyes watered and she wriggled on her good foot, afraid to put weight on the other.

Sasuke stared at the toe of her boot with the flashlight, and then cursed softly. "Come on. I think I have some first-aid stuff in the kitchen."

He helped her down the stairs, Sakura limping and wincing against the pain. Then Sasuke scooped her up in his arms bridal style and carried her the rest of the way, setting her down on the counter in the kitchen. "I'd forgotten what a klutz you could be."

"I'm not," she said. "I'm very graceful."

"I remember the time you were walking down the dock in that little flowered dress and those high-heeled shoes." He pulled off her boot and tossed it aside. "You got your heel caught in between the boards and went over the edge into the water. I had to jump in and fish you out."

"I was mortified," Sakura said. "I wanted you to look at me and think I was hot. Instead, I looked like a drowned rat."

"Maybe so, but when that dress got wet, you could see right through it. And you weren't wearing a bra. I did think you looked _really_ hot."

She pulled her foot out of his hand and tugged off her sock. Her toenail had already begun to turn black. "Kiss it," she said, wiggling her toes in front of him.

Sasuke smiled, taking her foot in his hand and slowly massaging it. "Will that make it feel better?"

"Maybe. I've always wanted you to kiss my feet," she said, daring him to do as she asked.

Sasuke knelt down in front of her and pressed his lips to her ankle. It didn't take long for Sakura to realize that he was turning her little game into a full-out seduction. He kissed each toe, and then ran his tongue along her instep.

When he begun to suck on her toes, Sakura closed her eyes and leaned back. No man had ever done this for her. She hadn't realized that the foot was an erogenous zone. "Oh," she groaned.

"Do you like that?" he asked.

"Yes," she said her voice barely above whisper.

"Does it feel better?"

Sakura nodded. "Much."

Sasuke stood and ran his thumb along her lower lip. He bent close and kissed her. "Is there anything else that hurts?"

"Are you trying to seduce me?" she asked.

"Maybe. Do you want to be seduced?"

"Yes," Sakura replied with a smile. "See, isn't that easy? Just think of what might have happened if you'd said yes the first time I asked."

"I was tempted," he said, pulling her hand up to kiss her palm. "_So tempted_. You looked so beautiful that night. You were wearing that little lace blouse with blue flowers on the collar."

"You remember that?"

"I remember everything about that night. For the next five years, I'd sit on that spot on the beach and wonder if I'd ever get the chance again."

"I guess you did," Sakura said.

"I just assumed you'd always be around. When you didn't come back that next summer, I thought I'd messed up bad. Now that I have you again, it's going to be hard to let you go."

It was as close to a profession of love as Sasuke had ever come and the sentiment made her heart ache. When she was young, she used to read all sorts of meanings into the words he spoke to her. But his meaning was clear now. The only problem was, Sakura wasn't sure what she could do about it.

"I've got a sleeping bag in the back of my truck. We could put it in front of the fireplace. It's almost as good as a bed."

"I'll meet you there," Sakura said. As he walked out of the room, she drew a deep breath. _"I'm not going to be able to let you go, either,"_ she murmured.

* * *

**AN: Thats the tenth chapter complete. Sorry for the slow update...nearly a week of not updating..I'm annoyed with myself. Hope you can forgive me and sorry if this is a short chapter . Again please tell me what you think of this chapter and point out if there are any typos and wrong grammar. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 225-240 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 11 is on the works...and it will be a bit slow on the update since I've only started typing it. So please wait for me! Arigato...and I appreciate it so so so much!**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	12. Chapter 11

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is more focused on Sasuke and Sakura. About their current relationship arrangement and their talk about maybe their future relationship??**

**Warning: Fluff! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 11.. read on and enjoy! Sorry for the late update.  
**

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Chapter 11

SASUKE STOOD IN THE DOORWAY of the great room, his hands braced on the doorjamb. Sakura sat in front of a crackling fire, her naked body wrapped in the sleeping bag. They'd made love twice in front of the fire, first with a frantic passion and then later slowly and playfully, the two of them teasing each other to completion.

The day was entirely theirs now that the wedding had been put on hold. Sasuke had felt so bad about her toe that he'd gone upstairs to retrieve a photo album and a few packets of letters from the trunk.

Though they'd enjoyed the sexual chemistry between them, the connection that afternoon had been more emotional than physical. Every time he looked at her, Sasuke realized how special she was. She was smart and funny. And she challenged him, forcing him to see her in a different light. She'd stolen a piece of his heart a long time ago and now Sasuke was certain that he never wanted it back. As long as Sakura cared for him, he'd be a happy man.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked.

She turned and smiled, the light from the fire illuminating her pretty features. "I am. Come and look at this. I found a photo of the summer kitchen."

Sasuke crossed the room and squatted down next to her, taking the photo from her fingers. "Look at that stove. No wonder they had to put the kitchen in a separate building. One spark from that and this whole place would have been kindling." He stared at the ceiling. "I should probably put some kind of sprinkler system in here. I wouldn't want this place to burn down before I had the chance to pay for it."

"You should really send this stuff back to the family," she said.

"I don't think the owner realized there was anything left in the attic. I think I'll make an inventory and then see what she wants me to send back to her."

"What is her first name?" Sakura asked. "Is it Temari?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said.

"I've been reading these letters. They're from a boy she met at a summer dance. They had a romance. He was from town. And she lived in Suna. It looks like they wrote to each other for years." Sakura frowned. "There are some here from when he was in the war. And then they just stop. Are there more letters in the trunk?"

"I can go look," Sasuke said.

"You don't think he died, do you?"

"No," Sasuke said. "They're probably still in the trunk. I'll go get them."

Sasuke wandered back to the bedroom, grabbing the flashlight along the way. It felt good to have Sakura in his house. It felt right. He could imagine them here together, spending their summers on the lake. Everything would be so much more interesting if she were a part of his life. They'd begin and end each day together and in between, they would swim and cook and make love by the light of the moon.

Sasuke rummaged through the papers and then found one more packet of letters, this one much smaller and tied with a black ribbon. He brought them back to Sakura and sat down beside her.

"See, it's alright."

She stared at the packet as she slowly untied the ribbon. As she read the first letter, Sakura slowly shook her head. "No," she murmured. She glanced over at Sasuke and he saw tears in her eyes. "This one is from his mother. He died in France in 1944." She flipped through the rest of the letters. "These are all from his mother."

Sasuke reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "It's all right. Why are you crying?"

"I don't know. It's so sad. They were in love and then they lost their chance to be together."

He kissed the top of her head, unable to soothe her distress. "I guess you have to just appreciate the time you have," he murmured.

Sakura nodded, wiping her eyes on the corner of the sleeping bag. "I do appreciate it." She looked at him. "I do."

Smiling, Sasuke dropped a soft kiss on her lips. "Why don't we get dressed and I'll take you back to the inn. You can have a nice hot bath. We'll pick up a pizza on the way back and we'll spend the night watching movies."

Sakura put the letter back in the envelope and retied the ribbon. He pulled her to her feet and helped her get dressed, wiping away the tears that continued to trickle down from the corners of her eyes.

Sasuke was sure she wasn't crying about the letter anymore. But he couldn't figure out what the tears were for. Had she realized that they wouldn't have much time left? Was she already contemplating leaving? Or was it something else?

"You should probably check on Itachi and Mika before we leave."

"They'll be fine," Sasuke said.

He held her jacket out for her and as she pulled it on, she looked around the great room. "I really like this place, Sasuke. It doesn't matter how much you paid for it or how much will it cost to fix it. It was worth every yen."

Sakura followed Sasuke back into town. He pulled into the parking lot of a small Italian restaurant next to the post office downtown and waited for her to pull in next to him. Sasuke had survived on their take-out pizza when he had visited North Lake in the winter. As they stood at the bar perusing the menu, he glanced at the waitress standing near the end. She smiled at him and gave him a little wave.

"Hey, Kin," he murmured as she approached.

"Sasuke," she said, smiling brightly. "You're back in town."

"My brother's getting married," Sasuke explained. He turned to Sakura. "This is Sakura Haruno. My brother is marrying her sister, Mika. She's the maid of honour."

Kin nodded. "It's nice to meet you." She turned all her attention back to Sasuke. "So why didn't you call me when you got in? I still have your jacket at my place. And that fancy corkscrew of yours. You should really come over and pick them up. And bring a bottle of wine along."

Sasuke had decided to forfeit the jacket and the corkscrew just so he wouldn't have to see Kin again. She was one of those women who looked good on first meeting but grew more demanding with each successive date. Sasuke had dated her for three months, off and on, and when she'd begun talking about kids and marriage, he'd decided to stop.

He'd never had the heart to lead a girl on, to make her believe that he felt something more than he actually did. When it got to that point with Kin, he'd stopped calling. But it appeared she didn't think it was completely over. "What do you want on your pizza?" Sasuke asked Sakura.

"Everything," Sakura said. "But no meat."

"Then that's not everything," he said.

"It's all vegetables," Sakura said.

"Are olives vegetables? What about anchovies?"

"No anchovies—anchovies are fish. Green and black olives, green peppers, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and spinach."

Sasuke wrinkled his nose, and then repeated the order to Kin. "And then I'd like another pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms."

"Are you going to eat that here?" Kin asked smiling.

"Can you have them delivered it?" Sasuke asked.

Her smiled dissolved. "Sure. Where to?"

"Northlake Inn. Room 312," Sasuke said. He pulled out his wallet and handed her enough for the bill and a nice tip, then took Sakura's hand and headed back toward the door. Sasuke could feel Kin's eyes on him as they left, but he didn't care. He was with Sakura now and, as far as he was concerned, he was off the market.

"So, obviously you two dated."

"We did. Last summer. And into the fall for a while. But she lives here and I was in Chicago, so we didn't see much of each other.

"She seems nice," Sakura said.

Sasuke smiled. "I don't want to see her. I like seeing you."

"But I don't live here."

"Maybe we'll have to find a way to work around that," Sasuke suggested. He knew he was taking a risk, but it was time for her to know where he stood. He'd grown too attached to Sakura to not wonder if she felt the same way.

When they reached the street, Sakura turned to him. "Sasuke, we both know how this is supposed to end. I have a job in New York. I have people who depend on me. I can't move back here. If I did, I'd lose everything I worked so hard to build."

"I know," Sasuke said, nodding. He glanced down at her hands, her fingers so small and delicate in his. So now he knew. He'd suspected when it came down to choices, she'd choose her life on the East Coast part of the world. But the last few days, he'd felt they'd come close to considering a future together. And it was silly to think that she was the one who would have to relocate. He could work out of New York just as easily as Chicago.

But Sasuke wouldn't make that offer until he knew for sure what the future held. "Why don't you head back to the inn," he said. "I'm going to pick up some beer and a bottle of wine. I'll meet you there."

As he watched her leave, he felt the distance between them growing—not just physically but emotionally. She'd begun to pull away now, as if she were preparing herself to leave. He'd seen her do it time and time again in the past, when she'd been hurt or afraid of her feelings for him. Her offense had always been a stubborn defense, choosing to stand back and shut him out rather than admit she might feel something deeper.

But this time, Sasuke saw her retreat as a good sign. She was fighting her feelings for him and that must mean that she felt something. It wasn't much to go on, but Sasuke was satisfied that it was enough.

* * *

SAKURA MUNCHED ON A PIECE of pizza as she flipped through the channels. She stopped at a _Star Trek _rerun and frowned. She didn't watch much television and she couldn't believe that they were still showing _Star Trek._ The program had to be fifteen years old. "This is still on? Remember how you used to make me watch this? I hated this show."

"You loved this show," Sasuke said, popping open a can of beer and pointing to the screen.

She shook her head. "No, I didn't. It was too confusing. And that Captain Picard was so…_bald_."

"Then why did you come over and watch it with me every day?"

Sakura picked a mushroom off her pizza, and then threw it at him. "Duh. Why do you think? Because I was hoping that one day you might be overcome with desire for me and throw me down on the sofa and kiss me." She took another bite off her pizza. "I had a very active fantasy life."

"Did you ever see us together?" Sasuke asked.

"All the time," she replied.

"No, I mean together. For good. _Forever_."

Sakura had felt his unease all evening. She sensed he had questions to ask but she'd tried to keep the conversation from getting too serious. In truth, she was as confused today as she had been on the day she arrived back in North Lake, Konoha. Only, she was confused about different things.

Over the past few days, she'd realized that Sai Muguruma had been right. There was a certain charm to living a small-town life. And she hadn't missed the stress of work at all. The panic attacks that had been plaguing her had disappeared and she was finally sleeping through the night without waking up in a cold sweat, wondering what she might have forgotten to do at work. The only time she felt them return was when her cell phone rang. Like Kiba's dog, she responded to the sound of the Mozart ditty. She even reprogrammed the ring to see if a new tune might be easier to take. But it didn't matter. The moment she saw a work number come up on the caller ID, she started to get queasy and fluttery and a little woozy.

She'd been happy here with Sasuke and though she didn't want it to end, Sakura knew that, for all practical purposes, a future with him would be difficult. They had both built careers in big cities. Those cities just happened to be seven hundred miles apart. It seemed like a long way. But then, it was only a few hours by plane. She flew back and forth to L.A. at least once a month to see a client there and thought nothing of it.

Conceivably, if she wanted to see him, she could call Sasuke at lunchtime and be in Chicago by supper. It was possible and with every minute that passed, Sakura was thinking more and more about what could be instead of what might have been.

"I should probably go check on Itachi and Mika," Sasuke said. "Do you want to stay here or come with me?"

"I can come with you. I do want to see how Mika is doing. I feel a little guilty leaving her out there all alone. I mean, she's with Itachi, but I think she might be pretty angry that we jus left them there."

She picked up the pizza box and set it on the table near the window, then turned to Sasuke. He was stretched out on the bed, wearing just his jeans and boxers. His feet were bare, as was his chest, and he looked so completely at home, as if they'd been together for years and this was just an ordinary night.

"What?" he said, glancing over at her.

"Nothing," Sakura said. She grabbed her sweater and tugged it on over her head. Then she looked at him again. Slowly, she crossed the room and ran her hand through his messy hair. "I like this. It doesn't have to be all passion and excitement," she said. "Although I do enjoy that."

"You want passion and excitement?" Sasuke asked. "I can do that. I just thought you were hungry."

"No," Sakura said. "I mean, I love it when we…you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"But this is nice, too. It's comfortable. I've never really had this with a man. It feels real. We can be together and there's no pressure."

"Now you're starting to make me feel bad," Sasuke teased. "I don't want to be boring."

"You're not."

Sasuke got to his feet and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on. "You're right. I'm not. Come on, I'll show you some excitement."

"We're not having sex in a public place," Sakura warned.

"No. We'll save that for later. I'm going to show you some real small-town fun."

Five minutes later, they pulled on their jackets and were headed back to Sasuke's car. It had grown colder, the temperature dipping toward the teens, and Sakura pulled her hood up around her face. When she got inside the truck, Sasuke flipped on the heater full blast and then headed down Lake Street to the boat landing.

"Are we going to watch the submarine races?" she asked.

"Nope," he said. "We're going _out on the lake_."

Sakura felt a rush of panic. "In this truck? Oh, no we're not."

"Don't worry. It's safe. The ice is really thick this year. We just have to watch out for ice-fishing holes."

Sakura screamed as they drove from the landing onto the ice, expecting the truck to fall through the moment it got over the water. When it didn't, she glanced over at Sasuke. "Are you sure we're safe?"

Sasuke turned to her. "I would never do anything to hurt you." He'd expressed the sentiment before but Sakura hadn't realized until now how strongly he felt it.

"All right. I taught you how to drive; now I'm gong to teach you how to spin doughnuts. In the time-honoured tradition of high school drivers, these are things you'll need to know. _**Number one**_, turn off the four-wheel drive. _**Number two**_, make sure your seat belt is buckled. _**Number three**_, don't steer into the skid. Got it?"

"I don't really want to do this," she said.

"It'll be fun," Sasuke assured her. With that, he hit the accelerator and the truck took off. A moment later, he made a sharp turn and they began to spin on the ice. Sakura screamed, clutching the door handle. At first, she was terrified that they were going to break through at any minute. But as the fear wore off, Sakura found that the danger was exhilarating.

When Sasuke finally pulled the truck to a stop in the middle of the lake, she was breathless, her pulse racing. "That was amazing. Almost better than sex," she said with a giggle.

Sasuke pulled the truck out of gear and then crawled over the console, pressing Sakura up against the door. "I think we ought to make a comparison right here and now. A little experiment."

"You want to have sex in the middle of a frozen lake?"

Sasuke nodded. "I intend to seduce you in other memorable spots. That way, when you go back home, you won't forget me."

Sakura heard the teasing in his voice, but the humour didn't extend to his eyes. She reached out and smoothed her palm over his cheek. "I'll never forget this," she murmured. She touched her lips to his and a moment later, they were caught in a passionate kiss.

She felt all the longing and the need between them. But she also felt a bittersweet resignation that from now on, every moment counted. As they slowly began to undress each other, Sakura wondered how she'd ever be able to do without this. Passion had never been a big part of her sex life, but now that she'd experience it with Sasuke, she couldn't imagine doing without it—or him. Would it even be possible to go a week without touching him or kissing him or feeling him move inside her?

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair. "If we fall through, they're going to find our frozen bodies in a very compromising position."

Sasuke worked at the buttons of her blouse. "But at least they'll know we died happy."

"And since we'll be frozen together, they'll have to bury us together."

Sasuke groaned. "Now that's just morbid."

A loud pop shattered the silence outside the truck and Sakura jumped, startled by the sound. "What was that?"

"The ice," Sasuke said. "It creaks and pops. But it won't break."

Sakura struggled to sit up and then re-buttoned her blouse. "Although this would be a lovely little story to tell friends and neighbours, I'm not sure that I'll be able to summon up the needed concentration to truly enjoy myself here."

"You wanna go back?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, please," she replied. "If you get me off this ice, then I promise you can have your way with me."

"And if I hum, will you do a striptease?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura thought about his request for a few seconds, and then realized there were all kinds of fantasies left for them to explore. "Yes. But then I get to hum and you have to strip."

Sasuke quickly straightened up and began to put his clothes back in order. Then he got behind the wheel and put the truck back into gear. "Would you like to see how fast we can go on the ice?"

"No," she said.

Sasuke hit the accelerator and they took off again. "The only thing you have to remember is that it takes a lot longer to stop."

He drove the SUV off the ice at the boat landing in town. When he reached the intersection for East Shore Road, he turned. A few minutes later, they were bumping back down the drive at Havenwoods. Sasuke jumped out of the truck. "I'll be right back," he said.

As promised, he returned a few minutes later, a smile on his face.

"How were they?" she asked.

"Good, as far as I could see through the window. I think they might be asleep. I left Itachi's cell phone on the porch. If they need it, they'll find it."

Sakura nodded, then reached over and furrowed her fingers through the hair at Sasuke's nape. "Sometimes it feels like we've lived years in these few days. Back when we were kids, everything moved so slowly. And now, I can barely keep up."

"It's because we have a clock ticking," Sasuke said. He glanced over at her. "You know, we could just shut the clock off. The wedding is scheduled for Thursday night. If it happens, then we're done with our duties. We could grab a couple plane tickets to some warm spot and spend the weekend together. Or the next week, if you can take off work."

The idea was intriguing. Sakura had plans to fly back to New York early Friday morning, hoping to have the weekend to catch up on the work she'd missed. But she was the boss now. If she couldn't let a little work slide, then what was the point of being in charge?

"We could do that," Sakura said, surprised at how her attitude had changed.

"Mexico?" Sasuke suggested.

"Or the Caribbean. Someplace warm with pretty beaches and lots of fruity drinks. And luxurious rooms with big bathtubs. And a soft bed covered by one of those mosquito nets."

He grabbed her hand and pressed his lips against her wrist. "That sounds nice," he said. "Hey, if Itachi and Mika don't get married, we could go on their honeymoon."

Sakura gave him a disapproving look. "Don't even say that. I want to believe that they'll work things out, don't you?"

Sasuke nodded. "I know. Me, too. I'll make the plans. We can leave right after the reception."

When they got back to the inn, Sasuke steered the car into a parking spot behind the building. Then he helped Sakura out , grabbing her waist and setting her down in front of him. He kissed her deeply, his hands skimming over her body, searching through the layers of clothes she wore.

"Leave it to fate to put us together in the middle of winter," he muttered as he pulled up her sweater and rubbed his cold hands on her belly. "Too many clothes."

Sakura giggled, pushing him away. "I'm sure we'll figure out a way to remedy that." She reached down and threw a handful of snow at his face. "Maybe we should find a vacation spot where they don't require clothes at all."

Sasuke gasped. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Why not? I'd like that, spending my entire day naked instead of bundled up like this."

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't think so."

"What? Are you a _prude_? You shouldn't be embarrassed. You're very well represented down there."

Sasuke chuckled. "Am I?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes. Though I haven't a big sample to compare you to, I'd say that most women would find you _more than adequate_."

"Oh, lovely," he murmured. "More than adequate. That makes me feel good."

"Look at me!" She pointed to her breasts. "I should be the one feeling inferior."

"You have the most beautiful breasts in the world," he said. "I can't imagine how they could be more perfect."

Sakura grinned. "So what's the problem then?"

"Oh, there are several I can think of. First of all, if you're running around naked, then I'm going to be running around sporting a major hard-on. That's just a fact. And I don't think the public needs to be seeing that. And I also don't think strange men should be looking at your body the way that I do. I like being the only one to enjoy that pleasure."

"I like your body," Sakura said. "And I'd like showing it off to other women."

"How about if I promise to flash an old lady at the airport? Would that satisfy you?"

Sakura held out her hand to him. "I suppose it will have to do. And you were the one questioning my daring. You're all talk and no action, Sasuke."

Sasuke picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "You want action. I'll show you action." He carried her through the lobby, much to the interest of the front-desk clerk. Sakura giggled as they stepped onto the elevator and she made Sasuke turn around so she could push the button for the third floor.

If she wasn't _already in love with_ Sasuke, then she was falling awfully fast. And right now, Sakura had no intentions of doing anything about it.

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**AN: Thats the eleventh chapter complete. Sorry for the slow update...I've been very busy this past week... Again please tell me what you think of this chapter and point out if there are any typos and wrong grammar. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 255-265 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 12 is on the works...and it will be a bit slow on the update since I've only started typing it. So please wait for me! And I won't be able to type this weekend since I'm going camping. Hope you can understand. I aslo hoped that i didn't lose my fans with the slow updates. Arigato...and I appreciate it so so so much!**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	13. Chapter 12

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is more focused on Sasuke and Sakura. Still about their relationship... A few decisions made. (I hope you can understand that I didn't do any scene for Itachi and Mika while they were at Havenwoods... I kimda just jump straight to it... Gomen in advance for those who wanted a scene for the both of them.)**

**Warning: Drama? Suggestive mature content. Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 12.. read on and enjoy! Sorry for the late update.  
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Chapter 12

SASUKE SKATED IN A SLOW CIRCLE, moving the hockey puck along the ice with his stick. Then, sprinting across the ice, he took a shot at the plastic crate he was using for a goal. The puck popped up and then disappeared into glittering snow just beyond the rink.

He skated to the edge and searched for the puck. When he finally found it, Sasuke tossed it back onto the ice and plodded through the snow in his skates. Glancing up, he saw Sakura standing on the stairs leading down to the lake's shore. He stopped and watched her for a long moment, drawing in a deep breath and letting it go.

He'd barely seen Sakura all day and when he'd tried to talk to her at the inn early that afternoon, she'd been preoccupied and irritated. They'd made plans for an early dinner and she promised to meet him at the boathouse. But she was three hours late and Sasuke ended up eating with his parents and siblings.

_Everything had been going so well. Maybe this was bound to happen_. _If it was going to come to an end, then better with a bang than a whimper_, he thought. Yet, he wasn't willing to concede defeat just yet. He still had two more days, the rehearsal tomorrow and the wedding the next day. He turned away from her and returned to skating, moving around the perimeter of the homemade hockey rink.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Sakura shouted.

"No problem."

She watched him skate for a while. "I'd like to explain."

"You want to talk, get a pair of skates and a stick," he said. "I'm playing hockey right now."

"Come on, Sasuke. Don't be mad. I had to work. There was a big crisis and they needed me on conference call. Then I had to write up a strategy report and send that in. And I haven't been answering my messages, so my boss had a few choice words to say about responsibilities of a partner at Jeffrey Walters."

"Do you even like your job?" Sasuke asked. He faced her, skating backwards, until he reached the edge of the cleared ice. He skidded to a stop and rested his hands on his hockey stick.

"Of course I do."

"Do you? Really?"

"It's a job. I get paid a lot of money. I like the money."

"So, that's what it's all about then?"

"No. I suppose there's some satisfaction in it. Although I spend most of my time making my clients look good when they do bad things. It's not the noblest job on the planet. But I'm good at it. It's what I do."

"Maybe you should try something new," he suggested. He skated toward the goal again and took another shot. This time, the puck hit the inside of the crate and knocked it backwards. When he turned back around, Sakura was trudging back up to the house.

He skated to the other end of the pond, watching her retreat. He felt an empty ache tighten in his gut and Sasuke cursed softly. Maybe it had been a little too perfect to last. He'd managed to convince himself that he and Sakura had something special, that they were meant for each other. But the more he pushed, the more she drew away. He'd begun to think that maybe there were other reasons why she was so anxious to get back to New York.

"At least I didn't love her," he murmured to himself. "Not the way I could have."

But even as he said the words, Sasuke knew that they weren't entirely true. What he felt for Sakura was more than he'd ever felt for any other woman, more than he could imagine feeling for another. He didn't want to think of the two of them in finite terms, a relationship with a beginning and an end. Sakura was the kind of woman who could keep him fascinated for a lifetime, the kind of woman he wanted to love.

Hell, if she was going back to patch things up with her old boyfriend, then he didn't stand much of a chance. Sasuke drew a sharp breath as a sudden realization struck. Was this her way of evening the score? He'd rejected her years ago and now she'd reject him. _It certainly would put her back on top_, Sasuke mused. And that was always the game between them, who could best the other.

Sasuke continued to skate along the edge of the rink, moving fast enough to make his lungs burn and his heart pound. He turned the notion over in his head, but it was hard to reconcile it with the woman he'd come to know over the past week.

Though Sakura might want to balance the scales, she'd done that in many other ways. He had fallen hard and hadn't done much to hide his feelings from her. In truth, he'd done everything in his power to make her see how much he cared.

"Will you talk to me now?"

Sasuke turned the corner and saw Sakura standing at the end of the rink, using a hockey stick to balance herself on her skates.

"Play," he said.

"I can't keep up with you."

"Try," he muttered.

When he came around the rink again, Sakura skated after him, grabbing him around the waist and hanging on until they both fell to the ice. She hit hard, slamming down on her shoulder and crying out in pain. Sasuke quickly knelt down next to her.

"What the hell are you dong?"

"Trying to talk to you. But you don't want to listen."

Sasuke helped her sit up and gently rubbed her shoulder. "All right. Talk. What do you want from me? I've pretty much put everything on the line here and for a while, things were good between us. Now it seems that everything is moving backwards."

"I don't know what you expect," Sakura said. "Until a week ago, I was seeing another man. I'm not sure I'm ready to jump back into a serious relationship, especially with someone who lives halfway across the country."

"It's not halfway," Sasuke insisted. "It's about a third."

"All right, tell me how it would work, Sasuke," she said. "How would we do it? Would we spend every weekend together? Or would we see each other once a month? Would we talk on the phone every day? Would you go out with other women? Would I be free to date other men?"

"I don't know," Sasuke said. "We'd have to figure that all out."

"I had a relationship with a man I never saw," Sakura said. "It didn't work. And we lived in the same apartment."

"I'm not him," Sasuke said.

"I know. But that doesn't make a lot of difference. You still have the capacity to hurt me the same way he did."

Sasuke turned away, staring off into the distance, fixing his gaze in the direction of Havenwoods as he wondered at the wounds that ran so deep. Was he the cause of her insecurities about men? She was such a confident woman, yet she refused to risk her heart. He'd wounded her so deeply that she was still trying to recover.

Maybe he was the only one who could heal that hurt. Sasuke took a deep breath. "_I'm in love with you_," he said, struggling to his feet. He pulled her up beside him, handing her, her hockey stick. "Maybe I've always been in love with you. I don't know. But I figured you should probably know. This is the last time I'm going to say it and whatever you decide to do with it, I'll be all right."

She opened her mouth to speak, and then forced a smile, as she considered his admission. "I—I don't know what to say," she murmured. "There was a time when that's all I wanted to hear. But back then, it was just a fantasy. Now it's—"

They'd so carefully avoided any talk of the future, choosing to keep their relationship simple, sexual. And now he'd put all his cards on the table. Maybe he'd always known they'd be together. Perhaps that's why he'd turned her down all those years before. Because, deep inside, he knew they'd be together again—they'd have a second chance.

"How do you know you love me?" she asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I don't know how. I just feel it."

"Maybe you just need me," she said. "There's a difference, you know."

Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath, the cold air clearing his head. "No," he murmured. "That's not it." He grabbed her hands. "It's more than that."

"Don't do this," Sakura murmured, forcing a smile. "It will only make things difficult in the end."

Sasuke cursed beneath his breath. "So what? I don't care. Maybe things should be difficult. Maybe it should be hard for us to leave each other. What's so wrong about that? At least I can admit I have feelings for you."

"I can admit that," Sakura said. "We've known each other for years. Of course we'd care."

"It's more than that," Sasuke said.

Sakura tugged her hands from his and shoved them in her jacket pockets. "I should get back up to the house. My mother is going crazy trying to figure out what's happening with this wedding."

"And I should go check on Itachi and Mika. I'm going to spend the night out at Havenwoods."

"I—I thought we could—"

Sasuke shook his head. "You're right. We need to step back. I need some space."

She stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she nodded. "I understand. It's all right." Sakura turned and skated over to the edge of the ice, then carefully climbed up onto the shore, manoeuvring along the small path cut through the snow. When she reached the spot where she'd left her boots, she plopped down and began to unlace her skates.

She slipped her feet into her boots, and then stood and hung her skates over her shoulder. "I'll talk to you later," she said.

"Later," he repeated.

It should be easy to rationalize the end of their time together, Sasuke mused. He'd walked away from any number of women with whom he'd shared longer relationships. But it wasn't just the physical uncoupling that he found difficult. He'd always been attached to Sakura emotionally and that bond had strengthened over the past week.

Even now, the thought of letting her go caused an ache deep inside him, an emptiness that couldn't be filled. Maybe this was what he'd done to her all those years ago. He found it impossible to imagine being with another woman. The kind of pleasure he'd experienced with Sakura had been unique and perfect and it would be hard to find with anyone else.

Sasuke closed his eyes and drew a deep breath of the chilly night air. He would get over her and he'd learn to live without her. It was just a matter of letting go.

* * *

WHEN SAKURA ARRIVED at the lake house the next morning for breakfast, the house was noisy with excitement. She walked into the kitchen to find the entire family, including Mika, gathered around the table eating pancakes. Her mother turned to smile at her.

"The wedding is back on," Mika cried, her eyes bright and her smile wide. "We have to go over the final plans with the caterer and then I want to decorate the room we're using for the reception. And you have to pick up your dress and I have to pick up Itachi's tux." She jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Sakura's neck. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

Mika glanced around at her family. "I have to go!" she said. "I'll see you all later. I can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow." She hurried out of the room, leaving them all breathless.

Sakura breathed a silent sigh of relief. It had worked. She and Sasuke had managed to fix the mess they'd created. She returned her mother's smile. "I'm so happy for them." She drew a ragged breath. _It was almost over_, she mused. But she wasn't thinking about the wedding. She was thinking about her time with Sasuke.

It hit her hard, like a punch to the stomach. Once the wedding was done, she and Sasuke would go their separate ways. Though they'd talked about a vacation, Sakura knew it wouldn't be the wisest choice for them.

"I'm just going to go get dressed," she said.

"No, sit down and have something to eat," her mother insisted. "You look a little pale."

"I-I'm really not hungry. I'll grab some coffee at the inn. It's going to be a busy day."

She hurried back out of the kitchen and walked to the front door. She hadn't slept more than a few hours last night. Instead, she'd stared at the ceiling and tried to convince herself that she didn't need to drive over to Havenwoods and crawl into bed with Sasuke. She didn't need to feel his naked body against hers or enjoy the touch of his hands on her skin. She didn't need any of that!

But the more she tried to talk herself out of Sasuke, the more Sakura realized she'd gotten herself so tangled up in him there'd be no way out. She'd done it again, only this time she'd known better. She was an adult and should have been able to control her feelings. But from the moment they'd first made love, she'd been lost.

All her talk about keeping things simple between them had been part of the wall she'd tried to build. But faced with the reality of their situation, that wall had crumbled in front of her. Her body belonged to him, along with her heart and soul, and Sakura knew that was all her fault. She'd fallen in love with Sasuke all over again, and this time, it was gong to hurt a lot worse.

Sakura opened the car door and slid inside, then stared out the windshield at the snowy landscape. Tears pressed at the corners of her eyes, but she reused to surrender to them. She had two nights left and if she could bear that, then everything else would get easier. Maybe that was all she needed to set herself back on the right course.

It was the wedding and all that silly romantic stuff that went along with it. That was her problem. She saw Mika and Itachi ready to make a lifelong commitment and she felt left behind. After all, she was the elder sister and she should be setting the example, shouldn't she?

Instead, she had opted for lust and passion, instant gratification with no strings attached. They'd shared the best sex she'd ever had and it had left her aching for more. But she'd learned a long time ago that lust wasn't love.

Sakura closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair, trying to recall his touch. He was so gentle, yet there was a silent danger to the way he caressed her, as if he held the key to her body and its pleasure. Only he knew how to make her hunger for his touch, to crave the feel of him inside her.

She groaned and reached for the ignition, letting her hair fall back into her face. "Tell him," she whispered to herself. "Take a chance. Once you say it, maybe it will be true."

It wasn't so hard to imagine them together. They were such good friends that life with Sasuke would be easy. Loving him could be the most natural thing in the world. She stared at her reflection in the rear-view mirror. She'd always run her life with such single-minded determination. And now, she couldn't even make a simple decision about her happiness.

The drive to the inn was quick and uneventful. She was getting used to navigating in the snow and ice now and wasn't afraid to drive a bit faster. When she arrived, she pulled the car into the parking lot and glanced around for Sasuke's SUV. But it wasn't where she'd hoped it would be. He'd spent the night at Havenwoods—was he still there?

Sakura threw the car into reverse and backed out, then turned towards East Shore Road. She had to trust her feelings and, ultimately, trust him. He wasn't a boy anymore. Sasuke knew what he wanted. _He wanted her_.

As she steered down through the narrow drive through the trees, Sakura felt her nerves begin to get the better of her. But she tried to marshal the same courage she'd found that night of her eighteenth birthday.

Though a long-distance relationship wasn't a perfect option, they could make it work. Seeing each other once a month was far better than never being together again. There'd be frequent-flier miles and meetings in cities in between New York and Chicago. As long as the passion was there, they could make it work.

When she reached the bottom of the drive, Sakura looked around, but didn't see Sasuke's truck. She hopped out of the rental car, and then walked back to the summer kitchen. To her surprise the door was ajar. It creaked as it swung back and Sakura stepped inside.

The last embers of a fire still burned in the hearth. Itachi and Mika had left a few hours before, but they'd tidied up the place first. The blankets were pulled neatly over the cot and the towels in the bathroom were folded on the rack. Sakura closed the door behind her, and then wandered through the room, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she reached the bathroom, she stared into the mirror for a long time, noting the colour in her cheeks and the nervous look in her eyes. Reaching out, Sakura opened the medicine cabinet and scanned the contents.

Though she'd made love to Sasuke in the most intimate ways possible, she really didn't know much about his day-to-day life. She pulled out his razor and examined it closely, then sniffed at the can of shaving cream, recognizing the scent. A row of aftershave bottles intrigued her and she tested each one until she found her favourite. Sakura slipped it into her jacket pocket with a smile.

Wandering back into the main room, Sakura stared at the strange collection of things that Sasuke found important enough to keep—a bird's nest, a huge pine cone, a pretty pink granite stone that had been worn smooth by water. When she sat down at the drafting table, she noticed the bag from the lingerie store sitting beside it.

Sakura reached down and opened it. The items he'd purchased were inside, the tags still attached. She shrugged out of her jacket, and then stripped out of the rest of her clothes. After she'd pulled on the sexy camisole and the little boy shorts, she searched for a mirror. But the only mirror available was in the bathroom.

Sakura stood on the toilet and examined the fit, admiring her backside in the tight-fitting panties. Then she jumped down and went back to the fireplace, holding out her hands to the warmth. She'd never noticed the photos propped up on the mantle.

Reaching out, she grabbed one, and then realized that it was a photo of her and Sasuke taken years ago. They both stood on the old raft that had floated just offshore from their beach. Sasuke's arms were curled up in a strongman pose and Sakura was pointing to him with a wide grin on her face. How simple their life had been back then. Love had been so uncomplicated. Why couldn't it still be easy?

The sound of the door creaking startled Sakura out of her thoughts. She turned to find Sasuke standing in the doorway, the cold wind blowing in around him, his arms filled with firewood. He stepped inside and closed the door.

"Wow," he murmured. "I thought these things only happened in my fantasies."

Sakura smiled. "Mika didn't use the gift and you can't return underwear, so I was just trying it on."

"I like it," Sasuke said as he dropped the wood near the fireplace. "Maybe you should take it off and try it on again. Just so I can get the full effect." He crossed the room, then slipped his hands around her waist and dropped a kiss on her lips.

"I think you just want me to get naked," Sakura said.

"I could get you naked if you don't want to," Sasuke said. He shrugged out of his jacket, and then began to work on the buttons of his shirt.

Sakura reached out to stop him. "I came here to talk to you," she said.

"Dressed like that?"

She bent down and picked up her jacket, and then slipped into it. Sakura sat down on the edge of the cot and patted the spot beside her. But Sasuke refused her invitation and continued to stare down at her. "Don't do this," he murmured.

"You don't know what I'm going to say," she replied.

"Yes, I do. You're going to tell me that I shouldn't think about the future. That sooner or later we're going to go our separate ways and that I need to accept that fact." He paused and smiled ruefully. "I can deal. When we got into this, we knew that it would end. I'd just rather it end after our vacation than before."

Sakura swallowed hard, pushing back the lump of emotion in her throat. That wasn't at all what she was planning to say. She wanted to tell him to give her a chance, to give her time to get over her doubts and fears about commitment. But he was giving up so easily. "You can 'deal'?" she asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "You were right, Sakura. I got all caught up in this. I should have seen it for what it really was, just an affair. A good time. I know that now. If we try to force it, we'll both end up unhappy and full of regrets."

Sakura swallowed hard, trying to keep the emotion from clogging her throat. "That's exactly what I was going to say," she murmured. "I'm glad we're both on the same page."

That was it, then, Sakura mused, ignoring the urge to confess her true feelings. She wasn't a teenager anymore and blurting out her love for him would have only caused more problems than it solved. This time, she'd made the right decision. If she'd learned anything in the past eleven years it was that she couldn't make Sasuke do or be or feel anything that he didn't want to.

Sakura looked at him, her gaze taking in the features that had become so familiar to her…and so dear. For a long time, she'd carried an image of him as a twenty-year-old, but now that she'd come to know the man, she could accept him for who he really was.

"I should get dressed," she murmured. "Mika needs some help with the wedding arrangements."

"She and Itachi are fine," Sasuke said. "You know there's a fresh bottle of chocolate syrup over there."

She knew what he was asking, but Sakura wasn't sure she ought to agree. He wanted her, needed her body, just one more time. And though she didn't want to admit it, she needed him, too. "Are you planning to make me a cup of hot cocoa? Or a hot-fudge sundae?"

"Yes, I'm planning on making _you_ a hot-fudge sundae," he said.

"We don't have any ice cream," Sakura said.

"Where we're going, we don't need ice cream."

Sasuke turned and retrieved the bottle of chocolate syrup from the table, then held up the can of whipped cream. "If you don't want to get your new underwear all sticky, I'd suggest you take it off."

Sakura crossed the room and grabbed the can of whipped cream from his hand, then tossed aside the cap. She reached up and applied a thin stripe of it to his lower lip. "You're the one wearing too many clothes." Pushing up on her toes, she licked the sweet cream off with the tip of her tongue.

Sasuke groaned softly. "Maybe this was a mistake."

Sakura sprayed a bit of whipped cream on his chin and proceeded to lick it off. She'd make him remember the last days he spent with her. From now on, every minute would be one that he'd recall again and again when he was alone, memories that would stir his desire and make him ache with need. He'd never find another woman who could arouse him the way she could and he'd always be left wondering if he'd made the right choice in letting her go.

Grabbing his hand, Sakura placed a dot of cream on each fingertip, then slowly sucked it off, drawing his finger in and out of her mouth playfully. "Would you like to try?" she asked, holding out the can to him.

Sasuke sprayed a line from her shoulder to her wrist. With exquisite ease, he worked his way up until he pressed a kiss beneath her ear. And then, as if he'd already tired of the game, he tossed the can aside, grabbed her waist and picked her up off her feet. Wrapping her legs around his hips, he kissed her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers, the sweet taste of the whipped cream passing between them.

He carried her to the cot near the fireplace and sat down, Sakura on his lap. For a long time, they kissed, exploring each other's mouth until they'd perfected their kisses.

If she could spend the rest of her life kissing Sasuke, Sakura knew it would never become a routine. Every kiss sparked her passion and elevated her need until she was frantic for a more intimate connection. But she wouldn't have the rest of her life. She'd have today and tomorrow and that was all.

She slowly undressed him and then drew him back down on the narrow cot, his body sinking down on top of hers, his hips settling between her legs. But as he brought her closer and closer to her release, Sakura realized that what they were doing was wrong.

They were both trying to act as if it were just passion and lust driving them forward, as if what they were doing was sex and nothing more. But she knew it wasn't true. The emotional connection was still there, the force that had brought them together in the first place. No matter how much they both tried to ignore it, it wasn't going to go away.

And when it was over and she lay sated in his arms, Sakura knew that they hadn't had sex. _They'd made love_.

* * *

**AN: Thats the twelfth chapter complete. Sorry for the slow update...I've been busy this past week... Again please tell me what you think of this chapter and point out if there are any typos and wrong grammar. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 295-325 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 13 is on the works...and it will be a bit slow on the update since I've only started typing it. So please wait for me! Hope you can understand. I aslo hoped that i didn't lose my fans with the slow updates. Arigato...and I appreciate it so so so much!**

**Warning: I just wanted to warn everyone that this fic will soon be coming to its final chapters... I don't know yet how many more chapters there will be but I'm really sad that this is nearing it's end. But don't worry I think I already have a few new ideas for a new fic so you have to watch out for those.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	14. Chapter 13

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this chapter is still about Sasuke and Sakura's relationship... Decisions are made. Itachi and Mika's wedding and dinner rehearsal.  
**

**Warning: Drama! Lemon!! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is chapter 13.. read on and enjoy! Sorry for the late update.**

**

* * *

Chapter 13**

SASUKE STARED AT SAKURA across the vestibule of the church. She stood next to Mika, standing so still and quiet that Sasuke wondered what was going through her mind.

He knew what was going through his. Images of her naked body, arching beneath him in pleasure, her face filled with the rapture of her release, her lips swollen from his kisses. They'd spent three hours making love that afternoon and it still hadn't seemed like enough.

In bed, Sakura was adventurous and uninhibited, driven by her desire until he had no choice but to be swept along. The way she touched him was so tantalizing that it made him hard just thinking about it. In just a week she'd come to know his body so well that she could sense his pleasure before he fully felt it.

She glanced over at him and smiled and he licked his bottom lip. A pretty blush stained her cheeks and Sasuke felt a bit sinful trying to tempt her in a church. But at this point, he was willing to take any opportunity offered.

He listened distractedly as Mika went over the direction for the processional. Sasuke had never been a best man and was surprised that his future sister-in-law knew so much about the mechanics of a wedding. When she told him to stand at the front of the church next to Itachi, he dutifully followed orders and walked down the side aisle, having no idea what his next instruction would be.

A few minutes later, the organ started playing and Sakura began her march toward the altar, her hands folded in front of her. He held his breath as their gazes locked and a flood of emotion passed between them. Suddenly, he felt as if this was his wedding and she was walking to him.

Sasuke looked away, unable to control his feelings. He'd never put much stock in the whole idea of _happily ever after_. But he needed to believe it was possible. If there was one woman who could make him happy for the rest of his life, it had to be Sakura. There was no other choice for him.

Desire was a powerful narcotic, a drug that could muddle a man's brain. But this wasn't about desire. He would feel the same in a week or a month or a lifetime from now. He knew that in his heart and yet she couldn't see it.

As Sakura reached the front of the church, Sasuke noticed an odd expression on her face, as if she were about to be sick. Dark circles smudged the skin beneath her eyes and she seemed to be breathing in quick little gasps. When her knees nearly buckled, Sasuke moved to her side and took her arm.

"No!" Mika corrected from the back of the church. "You stay in that spot next to Itachi. You don't take her arm until the recessional."

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

Sakura shook her head. "I-I'm a little dizzy."

"Can we take a break?" Sasuke asked. "I have to use the bathroom."

"And I—I need to get a drink of water. I'm—thirsty. Excuse me." Sakura shoved her little ribbon bouquet into the minister's hands, then headed for the door. Sasuke followed her, ignoring the curious glances of their parents.

When she reached the vestibule, she shoved the front door open and stepped out into the cold. Bending over at the waist, Sakura drew a deep breath and let it go, her sigh visible in the freezing temperatures.

Sasuke put his hand on her back and slowly rubbed. "Are you going to be sick?"

"I—I don't know," she said.

"Tell me if you are because I'm really no good with that. If I see you get sick, then I'll get sick. And I don't want them to find us out here puking on each other's shoes." That brought a small giggle and Sasuke was pleased that he'd been able to distract her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sakura said, waving him away. "My stomach is just all tied up."

"Because of the wedding?"

She glanced up at him. "I get these panic attacks, I haven't had one lately and this one is really bad. Everything is happening so fast. I haven't had time to think. I just need some time to think."

"Sakura, you do realize that we're not the ones getting married here, don't you? That's Itachi and Mika. The best man and the maid of honour aren't supposed to get cold feet before the wedding."

She slowly straightened, taking another deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke notice the damp on her cheeks, and then realized she was crying. He reached up and brushed a tear away with his thumb. "What's wrong? Tell me."

"I'm tired," she said. "And a little emotional. Mika is getting married. She's all grown-up and moving forward with her life and I feel like I don't have any idea where I'm going."

"What do you want, Sakura?" He heard the frustration in his voice, but Sasuke couldn't help himself. Why couldn't she realize how rare it was to find something as special as what they shared?

"I don't know. I just don't want to feel like this, all confused and uncertain. I want my life to make sense. And it used to, a long time ago." She stared up at him. "I was happy once. I know I was."

"And you're not happy now?"

"No!" She paused. "Yes! Maybe."

"Which is it?"

"We've had a wonderful week together. I've had a chance to live out a teenage fantasy. And that should be enough."

Sasuke knew there was something more she had to say. "What do you want?" he repeated.

A weak smile curled the corners of her mouth and she took another deep breath. "I want you tell me to stop being such a baby," she said. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair and pasted a calm expression on her face. "Sorry. I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately. It's hard to survive on sex and whipped cream alone."

"We've been giving it a valiant try, though," Sasuke murmured.

"I could have used that vacation," she said.

"We can still go. You just say the word and I'll take you away from all this."

"I know you would."

"Come on," Sasuke said. "Let's go back in and do our duties and then we'll have dinner with the family and go back to Havenwoods. I'll make a big fire and we'll curl up on the cot and just sleep."

She looked at him through damp eyes. "I can't. I promised Mika that I'd stay with her tonight at the inn."

"Then maybe we'll both get some sleep," he said. Sasuke took her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm and led her back inside the church. Mika was waiting to walk up the aisle again and she waved Sakura over. Sasuke gave her fingers a squeeze, and then let her go before he moved up the side aisle to stand next to Itachi.

"What is going on with you two?" Itachi asked.

"Nothing," Sasuke said. "She just got a little emotional waiting for Mika to come up the aisle. It's a sister thing."

"Are you sure?" his brother prodded.

Sasuke nodded. He was sure. It was nothing.

This time, as Sakura did her march, he grinned at her, trying to lighten her mood. She was right. They hadn't had much sleep and with everything they'd done over the past six days, it was a wonder one of them hadn't gone around the bend. It was also a testament to how well they got along.

"_The perfect woman_," Sasuke murmured.

"What?" Itachi said, glancing over his shoulder.

"She's the perfect woman. Mika. Don't you think?"

Itachi smiled and nodded. "Yeah, for me she is."

"_And when you find the perfect woman, you don't let her go_," Sasuke continued.

Itachi frowned at him. "I'm _marrying_ her."

The rest of the rehearsal passed without a hitch. Sasuke listened carefully to the directions that the minister gave him, but his mind was occupied with thoughts that he wasn't sure he ought to be having. He _could_ get Sakura to stay, to live here with him. All he had to do was ask _her_ to _marry him_. She'd have to believe he loved her if he did that.

But though the plan sounded simple, Sasuke knew it was filled with danger. What if she said no? He almost preferred not knowing how she felt to knowing that she didn't want him. He thought back to her offer on the beach that night. How much courage had it taken her to approach him, her emotions laid bare? Couldn't he summon the same courage for her?

When all the details had been worked out for the service, Itachi and Mika walked back down the aisle, Mika clutching her bouquet of ribbons and looking like a radiant bride. Sasuke and Sakura met at the head of the aisle and he took her hand again and walked with her to the back of the church.

The family gathered again in the vestibule before splitting up to drive to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. Sasuke waited around until nearly everyone had left before cornering Sakura in the shadows of a stairway. "I have to see you tonight," he murmured, raking his fingers through her thick hair.

"I can't. I promised Mika."

"I'll wait in your room at the inn. As soon as she's asleep, meet me."

"What if she wakes up? Or what if she never goes to sleep?"

"I don't want to spend a night without you," Sasuke said. "That's going to happen soon enough. It doesn't have to happen now, when we're in the same town."

He hadn't realized until now how strong his need was. He'd do anything to be with her—_anything_. And he'd ask her to stay, even if it meant getting rejected. The risk was well worth the reward.

Sasuke had to believe Sakura just hadn't figured it all out yet. She was still fighting her feelings and when she finally reconciled herself to the fact that she might be in love with him, too, then everything would be clear. There was only one standing in their way, Sasuke mused, and that was their physical relationship.

Sex gave Sakura an excuse to think of them in only those terms—lust and release, naked bodies lost in incredible pleasure. The kind of desire they shared would distract anyone—including him. He had to try a different approach. And for that to work, he'd have to keep his clothes on and his hands off her body.

* * *

SASUKE GLANCED AT HIS WATCH, squinting in the dim light from the lamp beside the bed. He'd assumed Mika would be so exhausted after the rehearsal dinner and the six glasses of champagne she'd downed that she'd nod off well before midnight. But it was nearly two a.m. and still no sign of Sakura. He looked over at the phone, wondering if he ought to call. But she knew he was waiting.

He closed his eyes for just a moment, letting himself relax. She'd been right. They hadn't had much sleep over the past week and it was starting to takes it toll. He drew a deep breath and then another; sleep was inevitable.

When he woke up, Sasuke wasn't sure how much time had passed. But the bedside lamp had been turned off and there was someone in bed beside him. She'd unbuttoned his shirt and unzipped his khakis and was slowly kissing her way down to his belly.

"Sakura?" he murmured.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

Sasuke chuckled as she slid her hand beneath the waistband of his boxers. "No," he said. "You're the one who always crawls into the wrong bed."

"Maybe it was the right bed all along," she whispered.

She took his shaft in her hand and slowly began to stroke, her tongue teasing at the tip of his cock. He was already hard, but he couldn't recall getting that way. He remembered that he'd wanted to talk, but it was already too late for that. Closing his eyes, Sasuke gave himself over to the pleasures she offered. They could talk later, he thought as her warm mouth surrounded him.

Each sensation was heightened, made more intense by the lack of light around them. She'd already removed her own clothes, and he slid his hands over her silken limbs, recognizing each curve and swell of flesh that her body offered. Even in the dark, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known.

Slowly, she pushed aside his clothes to kiss and caress him. His shoulders, his nipples and the trail of hair that led down to his erection, it was all hers to enjoy and Sasuke didn't try to stop her. Sakura was intent on seducing him and he wasn't about to question her motives.

As she worked her way over his body, Sasuke let the desire wash over him in waves. Though he wasn't trying to exert any kind of control, she seemed to sense when he was close to losing it and she slowed her seduction for just a moment.

Her lips continued to return to his shaft again and again, edging him closer to release and then leaving him just shy of orgasm. He'd never ceded so much control to her, but Sakura seemed to need it tonight. There was a quiet desperation to her lovemaking. Whenever he made a move to touch her, she gently drew his hand from the damp spot between her legs. And in the end, Sasuke didn't fight her. He gave her exactly what she wanted—_his body_.

Yet as she sank down on top of him, Sasuke wondered if she'd take more. Did she want his soul and his heart and the rest of his life? If he offered, would she accept? He needed to believe that this feeling would never end, that he'd have eternity to explore it and enjoy it.

But Sasuke also knew that love could be fickle and fleeting, and even if they stayed together now, they might not be together later. He was willing to try, willing to give her whatever she needed to make it work.

He reached up and cupped her face in his hands, drawing her down into a long, deep kiss, tasting her sweet mouth. He couldn't seem to get enough and when she tried to pull away, Sasuke held tight, refusing to let her go.

He'd never felt this way before, this frantic need to possess a woman. Where did it come from? Why was it so important for him to claim her? She was his, whether she cared to admit it or not. Her body belonged to him. No man could make her ache the way that he could.

"_I love you_," he murmured against her lips.

The words came so naturally now, without even a second thought that Sasuke knew they were real and not just imagined. He couldn't regret saying them. He did love Sakura and nothing would change that.

"_I love you too_," she said.

At that moment, Sasuke knew it would be all right. It may take weeks or months, but there would come a day that she would believe in what she felt. Grabbing her waist, he rolled her over on the wide bed and pulled her legs up alongside his hips. He began to move, slowly at first, his arms braced on either side of her head. He knew exactly how to make her cum without his touch and with every other stroke; he withdrew and rubbed against her sex.

Her breathing grew shallow and quick and she moaned softly, grasping at his hips with her hands, raking her nails over his buttocks. He was close to his own release, but Sasuke ignored the signs and waited for Sakura. Their coupling grew in intensity and became wild and uncontrolled. They spoke to each other in ragged fragments, he words disappearing into the darkness as they both lost touch with reality.

And then she was there, arching beneath him and crying out his name. Sasuke felt her convulse around him and then dissolve into powerful shudders. He let himself go, tumbling over the edge in a free fall of pleasure. He drove into her again and again, burying himself to the hilt until he was completely spent.

Sasuke had thought he knew what they were together, but suddenly, they'd broken through a wall and reached an entirely different level of pleasure. He hadn't been driven solely by physical desire this time. Their bodies had touched in the most intimate fashion possible, but this time, so had their souls.

Sasuke lay down beside her, pulling Sakura into the curve of his body and slipping his leg between hers. "I meant what I said," he whispered. "I do love you."

"I know. And I love you."

A long silence grew between them and Sasuke knew there was more to say. "What does that mean?"

Sakura snuggled closer and kissed his chest. "I don't know."

He could sense the bittersweet emotion in her words. Sasuke reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, determined to look into her face as they spoke. Her eyes were wide, watching him warily. "It has to mean something, Sakura. I've never said those words to a woman before and I'm pretty certain you're the last woman I'll say them to."

"Sasuke, we've known each other for a week."

"We've known each other our whole lives," he countered.

"But that doesn't count."

Sasuke laughed sharply. "Why the hell not? It should count for a lot. You know me, Sakura, and you know that I'll do everything in my power to make this work."

Sasuke rolled out of bed and snatched up his jeans, then pulled them on. It was difficult enough talking about such serious matters; he wasn't about to do it naked. "I'm not going to push you. If you want me, you know where to find me."

Sakura sat up, pulling the bedcovers up around her naked body. Sasuke watched her, waiting for a reply, some sign that she was thinking about what this meant. "I'm leaving tomorrow right after the wedding reception. I got a call from the office and they need me back in New York on Friday morning. We have a client presentation that got moved up in the schedule and I have to be there to help prepare."

"You don't have to go," Sasuke said. "You can stay with me. I'll take care of you."

"Don't do this. Don't make me choose. People are depending on me. I can't take that lightly."

"And what about you? Don't you deserve something for yourself?"

In the end, Sasuke knew she wouldn't change her mind. She wasn't ready. But he also knew there would be another time. What had happened between them couldn't be put aside. Sooner or later, Sakura would realize what they'd had and she'd come back to him.

"You should probably get back to Mika," he said. "You wouldn't want her to wake up and wonder where you are." He raked his hand through his hair. "I guess this is goodbye." He smiled and shook his head. "_Goodbye, Sakura_. It's been fun."

"It has," Sakura replied.

Sasuke nodded, fighting the urge to drag her into his arms and kiss some sense into her. But instead, he walked to the door and opened it. He looked back once to see her still sitting on the bed, her gaze fixed on him. Then he stepped into the hallway, _into a life without her_.

He stood, staring at the closed door, for a long time, wondering whether this truly was the end. He'd always thought _falling in love_ was supposed to solve every problem. Instead, it had just compounded the confusion.

He had to believe, to have faith in what he knew to be true. _She loved him_. _And she couldn't live without him_.

* * *

**AN: Thats the thirteenth chapter complete. Sorry for the slow update...my laptop broke so it's been a nuisance and a hindrance for me to update and I'm glad I saved the story in my flashdrive so I didn't have to redo anything and i'm sorry that this has to happen. Although I've found a temporary computer that I can use until I got my laptop fixed or forced to buy a new laptop. I know you've been waiting for me to update and as well as I because I had so much fun writin this fic so I hope you all understand my current awful predicament... Again please tell me what you think of this chapter and point out if there are any typos and wrong grammar. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: Thank you for the reviews. I hope we can be able to reach maybe 320-335 reviews for the next chapter. All of reviews inspires me and motivates me to work really harder and faster and above all it makes so happy!! Arigato minna. Again thank you for putting my fic to you're alert and favourite story lists.**

**P.P.S.: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews!!! Arigato so much for the support!!! I love you all! ****Chapter 14 is on the works...and it will be the final chapter of this fic! Kami I don't want this fic to come to an end..I'm going to miss it. Again it will be slow on the update since I've only started typing it and I've explained the big problem. So please wait for me! Hope you can understand. Arigato...and I appreciate it so so so much!**

**Warning: I am now currently started typing the final chapter of this fic.. So sad that it's ending. I think I'm going to cry myself. But don't worry I think I already have a few new ideas for a new fic so you have to watch out for those.**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


	15. Final Chapter

**********Disclaimer: Do Not Own Naruto**

**AN: Well this final chapter is about Sasuke and Sakura's decision about their relationship... Decisions are made. Includes with Itachi's little meddling.  
**

**Warning: Lime or Citrus!! Arigato for all your reviews!**

**So here is the final chapter.. read on and enjoy! And I hope that this ending is to your expectations!! Sorry for making you all wait for so long.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

THE PHOTOS of Itachi and Mika's wedding had arrived in yesterday's mail but Sakura hadn't had the courage to open them. She'd tossed them into her bag as she'd left her apartment that morning and now they sat on her desk, inside their padded manila envelope.

She knew what she'd find—happy pictures with smiling faces, everyone looking as if they were having the time of their lives at the wedding and the reception. She thought back to that night. Though it had been a beautiful, romantic wedding, it had also been one of the worst nights of her life, even worse than the night that Sasuke had turned down her offer.

After making love to Sasuke, Sakura had returned to Mika's room and crawled into bed, determined to finally get a few hours' sleep. But instead she'd stared at the ceiling, thinking about what had passed between them.

The words had changed everything. The fist time he'd said them, she'd brushed them off as an expression of his affection. But the second time, it _had_ been more. It had been a promise, one she wanted desperately to return.

Until that moment, Sakura had tried to put their relationship in its proper perspective. It _had been_ just a momentary fling, an _affair_ that had a beginning and an end. But then Sasuke had to mess it all up. And worse yet was what she'd done in returning the sentiment. Now it was just dangling out there, _unresolved_.

She'd finally found a way to close the books on that night eleven years ago. She'd had sex with Sasuke, it had been wonderful. That part of her life could now be forgotten.

"Closure," she murmured, picking up the envelope. That's all she'd ever expected to get. But now, she'd have to put closure on her closure. Their affair hadn't been an ending but a whole new beginning. Sakura had found herself imagining a future with him. Not just a weekend here or there, or a vacation together when they both had time. She'd thought about something permanent, something that might last a lifetime. The only way to get closure on that was to _marry_ Sasuke.

Sakura carefully opened the envelope and set the stack of photos in front of her. _Three months_ had passed, but she could recall every moment of that week as if it were yesterday. There were nights when she lay in bed imagining Sasuke beside her…above her…_inside her_. She wondered if he was thinking about her, too, caught up in an arousing dream of them together making love.

She'd reached for the phone countless times, ready to call him and put an end to the silence. But then, she'd remember his behaviour at the wedding—polite, aloof yet properly attentive. He was giving her an out and she'd been a _coward_ and taken it.

Sakura flipped through the pictures until she found a photo of her and Mika, sitting at a table. Sasuke was standing nearby, looking at them both, a tiny smile curling at his lips. She found another photo where he was watching her and then another. Sakura hadn't realized, but in nearly every photo he was looking at her with an odd expression of…what was it?

She shook her head and set the photos down, then glanced over at a photo of her parents that she kept on her desk. There it was. The same expression on her father's face. He was sitting next to her mother at a picnic and she was smiling at the camera and he was smiling at her. It was _love_, _adoration _and_ respect_ all mixed into one simple look.

Sakura took a deep breath and turned back to her computer screen, the media release blurring in front of her eyes. She'd been working on the copy for the entire day and had only managed to put together the first paragraph. It was due by the end of the day and she couldn't seem to come up with a creative way to announce the merger of two newspapers.

"Who cares?" she murmured to herself, sliding her mouse over the paragraph to delete it. "Yes, people are going to be upset because they'll only have one news paper instead of two. But they'll get over it. A few months from now, no one will care."

Since the moment she'd arrived back in New York, she'd had a very difficult time settling into work. She'd become increasingly annoyed by what she was asked to do, her boss acting as if the world would end if the public didn't know that the French fries at a popular fast-food restaurant were made with a new blend of spices.

She delegated everything she could to her assistants and spent her day browsing the online real-estate ads in Chicago. She wasn't sure why, but it seemed to make her feel as if she were accomplishing something. She'd also taken to flipping through some old photos she'd found from her childhood, trying to piece together when it was she'd _fallen in love _with Sasuke.

Sakura reached up and fingered the arrowhead necklace she wore. She'd felt silly putting it on again after all these years, but it was something else that made her feel better, that gave her a measure of contentment.

Summer was approaching and the ice would be gone on the lake. The trees all around Konoha would be green and the shallows would soon be warm enough to swim in. As if by instinct, she started to get that trembling feeling of anticipation, the same feeling she'd had as a teenager. The entire summer seemed to stretch out in front of her, filled with excitement and promise. _Filled with Sasuke Uchiha_.

So why not go home? She could afford to take another week once she got this project done. Sasuke would most likely be there, working on Havenwoods. She'd fantasized about the moment they'd see each other again. And in every one of her fantasies, they'd fall into each other's arms and the world would suddenly make sense.

Sakura had used her job as an excuse all along. In truth, it had been something to hide behind, a convenient reason to avoid commitment. _Her career didn't matter anymore_. If she wanted to work, she could find a job anywhere. She was talented and intelligent and knew the public relations business better than ninety percent of her peers.

Why not just do it? She could walk into Jeffrey Walter's office right now and quit. She could clean out her desk, take a cab home and pack up her things. In less than a day, she could make a complete turn in her life and start all over. There had been a time when a thought like that would have terrified her. But now, the idea was infinitely appealing.

The buzzer on her intercom rang, startling her out of her thoughts. She picked up her phone. "Yes?" she said.

"Sakura? There's someone here to see you."

"Who is it?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not supposed to say," her assistant replied. "It's a surprise. Can I send him in?"

"Him?" Sakura swallowed hard.

"Him. Tall, dark and handsome. Says he's related to you."

"Kind of a crooked smile? Dark onyx eyes?"

"That's right, Miss Haruno."

She drew a quick breath. "Give me two minutes, and then send him in."

Sakura jumped up from her desk and grabbed her purse, then hurried to the mirror on the back of her office door. This wasn't how this was supposed to happen! She needed more time, a different haircut, a prettier dress, nicer underwear.

Sasuke had mentioned that he sometimes got out to the East Coast on business. But why wouldn't he have called first? Sakura grabbed her lipstick and dabbed it sparingly on her lips. No need to look too obvious. Maybe he was afraid she'd refuse to see him. She pulled the rubber band out of her hair, and then moaned. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, which meant she usually did the minimum to get ready for work in the morning. Oh God, what was she going to say to him? Would he kiss her? Or would it be uncomfortable between them?

A knock sounded on the door and Sakura jumped back, dropping her lipstick in front of her. She quickly kicked it aside, and then tossed her purse onto a nearby chair. "All right," she whispered. "I can do this. He doesn't know I've been thinking about him for the past three months. For all he knows, I've moved on."

She reached for the door, steeling herself for the impact of that first glance. Sakura wasn't so silly as to think it would be anything _but_ devastating. But when she opened the door, a flood of _disappointment_ washed over her.

"_Itachi_," she said, forcing a smile.

Sasuke's brother grinned at her and held up his hands. "Surprised?"

"Of course. What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to see Mika in Boston. I've got a law school interview at Columbia."

"Law school? Here in New York?"

"I thought, since I was here, I'd stop and see my favourite sister-in-law." He stepped inside, taking in the luxury of her office. "Nice digs. So this is what a partner's office looks like. Maybe I should consider PR instead of law."

"It's all for show," Sakura said.

Her gaze fixed on him as he walked around the office. Sakura hadn't realized until this very moment how much Itachi looked like Sasuke. Just staring at him made her ache for the sight of Sasuke's face, for the warmth of his smile and the teasing humour that sparkled in his eyes. She shook herself out of her thoughts and stepped back from the door. "Sit down."

"I thought we might go out for some dinner," Itachi suggested as he glanced at his watch. "It's nearly seven. Aren't you hungry?"

"I have this project that we have to get done and people are in and out with questions. I really can't leave. But stay awhile and talk. I'll have my assistant go out and get us some sandwiches." She paused and smiled at Itachi as he sat down. "You seem so grown-up with that suit on. All settled and married."

He held up his hand with the wedding ring. "Thanks to you and Sasuke," Itachi said. "If it hadn't been for you two, I'm not sure if we would have made it through the first three moths of marriage."

Sakura felt a blush rise on her cheeks. "How can you say that? We _almost_ ruined your wedding."

"You did us a favour. Mika and I were going into it all naïve and wide-eyed. You made us stop and think about what we were doing. You were better than any marriage counsellors we could have seen."

"You're only saying that because everything turned out right."

Itachi stretched his legs out in front of him and linked his hands behind his head. "A_ren't you going to ask me?_" he finally said.

"I'm sorry," Sakura murmured. "How is Mika?"

"Not Mika," Itachi said, meeting her gaze. "Sasuke. Aren't you going to ask me about Sasuke?"

"All right. How is _Sasuke_?"

"Not so great since you left," Itachi said. "He misses you."

"I miss him," Sakura admitted. "We're good friends. And it was nice to see him again after such a long time apart."

"_You're more than good friends_," Itachi said.

"What do you mean?"

"Sasuke and I got drunk one night watching a Bulls game and he told me _everything_."

"_**Everything?**_"

"Can I give you some advice?" Itachi asked. "I mean, you don't have to take it. You know what you want more than I do. _But I think you and Sasuke belong together_. It's always been that way. You're like a team. _**You're the reason why Mika and I fell in love**_."

"How is that?"

"We used to watch you two and you always had such a great friendship. You were equals. We both wanted something like that and when we started dating, we found _it_." He paused. "Plus, Mika was really hot. Oh, and smart and funny, too. But it was the friendship that sealed the deal. A relationship like that takes years to build and you two already have it. You're ahead of the game."

"But friendship doesn't always turn into love."

"Sasuke loves you," Itachi said. "And I think you love him too. _And you're both letting it slip away_."

"I'm not."

"Sakura, I know my brother. And I know the _only_ person who is going to _make him happy is __**you**_. If you don't feel the same way about him, then you have to tell him straight out so he can get on with his life."

"I do love _him_."

"I'm throwing a graduation party for Mika on Memorial Day weekend. I'm inviting you and I expect you to come. Sasuke is going to be there. Maybe you two can…_talk_." Itachi stood up and smiled. "That's really all I came to say. Dinner was just an excuse. So, how far is Chinatown from here?"

Sakura walked Itachi to the elevator and gave him a hug before sending him on his way with a list of recommendations for his evening in Manhattan. Though she thought about going with him, it was difficult to look at Itachi and not think about Sasuke.

When she returned to the office, she sat down in her chair and reached for her calendar. She had two weeks to decide whether to go home for Mika's party or to put her relationship with Sasuke permanently behind her. A few days, if she hoped to get a decent airfare.

She reached for the phone and punched in the three-digit number to reach Jeffrey Walter's assistant. There were other decisions to be made, as well, decisions that would be much more difficult than which flight to take to Konoha. "Alice Ann? It's Sakura. Is he still in?" She drew a shaky breath. "I need to see him. I'll be right down."

Sakura stared at the phone for a long time, her hand resting on the receiver. She was contemplating changing the course of her life—and all for a man. Was she really ready to do this? Or was she still trying to fulfill some stupid schoolgirl fantasy?

She glanced down at the photos and smiled. "_For a man who loves me_," she said.

* * *

SASUKE STOOD IN THIGH-HIGH WATER, near the rotting pier at Havenwoods. "It's got to be at least fifty years old," he shouted to Itachi.

"How can you tell?"

"It looks old." He stared down at the rusted motorcycle submerged in three feet of water. Sasuke had decided to start work on the beach so that he could at least swim when the weather turned hot. But there was so much trash in the lake that he had to do a major cleanup first.

"Can you get your truck down here?" Itachi asked. "Maybe you can drag it out."

Sasuke raked his hand through his hair and stared up at the shore. "No. Maybe we can winch it out. Once we get it on shore, we can probably break it apart. It's pretty rusted."

"Or we can bring Dad's boat over and we can tow it out into the centre of the lake."

Sasuke gave Itachi a disapproving look. "That would not be very environmentally sound."

"But it would be easy," Itachi countered.

"Go up to the summer kitchen and get that rope that I bought. We'll try to drag it closer to shore and then lift it out."

Sasuke stared down at the water, then bent over and tried to dig the back wheel out of the mud and sand with his hands. But he couldn't reach without going under. Grabbing a deep breath, he ducked his head beneath the surface and began to tug on the back wheel.

When he ran out of breath, he popped out of the water, shoving his hair out of his face. He looked up on shore for Itachi, but instead, saw someone else walking down the path. "Mika," he murmured, wondering how much she'd be able to help.

Over the past few months since Sakura had left, he'd been reminded of her on a fairly regular basis each time he'd seen Mika. Mika laughed like Sakura, she moved like Sakura, she even looked a bit like her older sister, especially in the eyes and around the mouth. Sasuke had caught himself staring on occasion, picking out that one feature that brought back all the memories of Sakura.

He'd done his best to forget her, to move on with his life. But Mika was a constant reminder. This was what he'd have to look forward to for the entire summer, and at Thanksgiving and Christmas and every other major holiday that the Uchihas and the Harunos would now spend together.

Sasuke knew he ought to be grateful that Sakura would probably choose to stay in New York, though he expected he'd probably have to face her once or twice at Christmas. That was _nearly_ seven months away. By that time, he ought to be able to see her without lapsing into some intense sexual fantasy involving condiments.

"Mika, tell Itachi to hurry up. I'm not going to stand in this water all day waiting for him."

Mika stood on the shore, her hand shading her eyes, watching him. Her hair was pulled back, but when she turned, he saw a glint of pink and curly ponytail. Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. "_Sakura?_" he called.

She took another step closer and in that moment, he knew it was her. _Hell_, he'd wondered exactly how he'd feel the next time he saw her and now he knew. His reaction was powerful, like a punch to the stomach, and he could barely grab a breath.

As she walked closer, he could see her face. Her gaze watched him warily and Sasuke realized that she was as nervous as he was. It had only been three moths, time that had crawled by at a snail's pace. But now, it seemed as if time had stopped dead in its tracks. Sasuke reminded himself to breathe, and then waded slowly to the shore.

"I'm here for Mika's party," Sakura said.

Sasuke took some satisfaction that their meeting was affecting her as strongly as him that she couldn't think of anything more interesting to say. "I figured that."

"I thought it would be better if we saw each other first. I—I didn't want to surprise you and just—be there."

He nodded, his gaze skimming along her beautiful body. He felt a pulsing warmth rush through his bloodstream and pool in his lap. He hadn't had sex since she'd left and for the first time in three months, _he felt it_. Thankfully, he was wearing baggy board shorts that hid his erection that was beginning to be uncomfortable. "Good idea," Sasuke murmured. "So, how have you been?"

"Good," Sakura said. "Busy. I've meant to call but…"

He waited for a long moment, wondering if she planned to finish the thought. When she didn't, he gave it a try. "But you were stranded on the top of a mountain without a phone? But you were in the hospital unconscious in a coma? Or you were on an assignment for the CIA? Because that's where I was."

A tiny smile quirked the corners of her lips. "But I wasn't sure what I wanted to say," Sakura finished. "I'm still not sure."

"You could tell me that you missed me," Sasuke suggested. "That would be a start."

"All right. I missed you. A lot."

Sasuke took that as his cue to stepped out of the water and walked up to her spot on the shore. "When two people meet after being away for a long time, they usually kiss. Especially if they've missed each other. It's kind of a tradition, I guess." He leaned forward and brushed his mouth against hers.

He'd intended the kiss to be simple, almost platonic. But the moment their mouths touched, a current of desire passed between them. It was as palpable as heat lightning on a humid summer night, startling and intense.

Sasuke grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, kissing her again, this time more deeply. She immediately opened to his assault, as if she were desperate to taste him, too.

His hands skimmed over her body, feeling the familiar curves. She was dressed in a thin cotton shirt and a skirt that hugged her hips and her backside and it wasn't difficult to imagine her body beneath, all soft skin and naked flesh. Without speaking, he grabbed her hand and drew her along to the summer kitchen, the two of them climbing the rise from the water's edge to the cabin.

When they got inside, Sasuke walked to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, drying his hair and chest. Then, he kicked off his wet shoes and rinsed his feet in the tub. She was standing in the middle of the room when he returned, looking even more beautiful than he'd remember.

"It's strange," he said. "I feel like I used to on that first day of summer vacation, when I'd see you after all that time apart. I was never sure of what I should say. Every summer, I'd spend hours thinking of a clever opening line."

"You should have tried kissing me," Sakura murmured.

"I can see that now." Sasuke walked across the room and slipped his hands around her waist. "How have you been? And don't tell me about work."

"I've been…confused," Sakura said. "I guess that's the best word for it. But I've begun to simplify my life."

"I've missed you, Sakura. I'm not afraid to admit that."

"I'm glad," she murmured. With a trembling hand, she reached out and smoothed her palm over his chest. Her fingers raked through the trail of hair between his collarbone and his belly and Sasuke closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her touch.

He wanted to strip her off her clothes and take her to bed, to prove that the desire they'd once shared still pulsed between them. Sasuke gazed into her eyes, knowing that she couldn't refuse him. But sex, however pleasurable between them, wouldn't solve their problems. They had to find a way to be together, and not just physically.

"How long are you staying?"

Sakura shrugged. "I haven't decided. I wasn't sure how things would go." She took a ragged breath. "I need to be back by Thursday. So, five or six days."

"We can get into a lot of trouble in five or six days," he said.

"If we want to get in trouble," Sakura replied. "Maybe we should just take things a little slower." She stepped back, out of his reach, and then smoothed her hands over her skirt. "I should go. I promised my mother I'd help her do some baking for Mika's party."

"I guess I'll see you tonight, then," Sasuke said.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. We'll see each other."

Sasuke wasn't about to let her go without just one more kiss. He grabbed her hand again and pulled her against his body. Kissing her had always been a wonderful prelude to other activities, but this time, Sasuke made sure that the kiss was enough to convey his feelings. He lingered over her mouth, softly drawing his tongue over her lower lip. When he finished, he walked outside with her and watched as she hiked back up to her car.

A few moments later, as if on cue, Itachi reappeared from around the corner of the summer kitchen. He stared off in the direction of Sakura and when she turned to wave, Itachi waved back. "She looks good," he said.

"She does," Sasuke agreed.

"I'm glad she accepted my invitation to Mika's party."

Sasuke frowned. "You invited her?"

"Yeah. I saw her when I was New York for that law school interview. I told her _you missed her_ and that _you couldn't live without her_. I guess it worked, huh?"

A muttered curse slipped pass from Sasuke's lips. "_Why the hell did you tell her that?_"

"Because it's the truth," Itachi said, shaking his head. "Stop pretending you don't want each other." He chuckled. "Mika and I should lock you up and take away your clothes and shoes. Maybe you'd figure out you both belong together."

"Taking away our clothes would not help the problem," Sasuke muttered. "We do really well without our clothes. It's when we're fully dressed that we can't figure things out." Sasuke grabbed the rope from Itachi's hands and started towards the lake. "And just stay out of my business, will you? I can handle this on my own."

"Hey, you helped me and Mika. I'm just returning the favour."

Sasuke hefted the coil of rope over his shoulder. He wasn't really angry with Itachi. His brother's intentions were good and right now _he needed all the help he could get_. He had _no idea_ how to make things right work with Sakura, but _he was going to try_.

And if he couldn't make things work by the time she left for New York, and then he'd be forced to sell all his stuff and move there.

* * *

MUSIC DRIFTED through the warm summer night, mixing with the rhythmic lapping of the water against the sandy shore. Sakura sat on the beach, staring out across the water at the lights from the homes on the east shore. She tried to find a light from Havenwoods, wondering exactly where the house sat on the shoreline.

She hadn't visited the lake in the summer months since that summer before college and she'd forgotten how calm and peaceful it was at night. In the distance, a motorboat crawled across the water and the sound sent a pair of ducks into flight, their wings fluttering as they skimmed along the surface of the lake.

She used to believe New York City was the most wonderful place in the world to live. But after coming back to Konoha, she'd learned to appreciate its charms. It was quiet and pretty, a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. And Sasuke was here, at least for a few days a week.

They'd circled around each other all night, chatting every now and then, before wandering away to talk to other party guests. Sakura was grateful for the time and buffer that her family provided. Though she'd been sorely tempted to jump back into bed with Sasuke, there were reasons not to.

"I thought I'd find you down here."

Sakura jumped, startled by the sound of his voice. A moment later, Sasuke plopped down beside her on the sand, kicking off his sandals and setting them beside him. "I like this place a lot more in the summer," he said.

Sakura took a deep breath, and then slowly let it out. Her heart pounded in her chest and her throat had gone dry. She'd come all this way to tell him and now was the perfect time. "Sasuke, I need to say something."

"So do I," he said. "I've been wanting to—"

"No," Sakura interrupted. "Me first. When I made my offer that evening of my eighteenth birthday, I thought I was grown-up enough to accept the consequences. You were right to refuse me. I've been hurt and angry with you ever since but for no good reason." She drew in another deep breath. "I'm going to make you another offer and this time, I promise I won't be angry if you refuse."

"You know what's really great about summer?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura turned to look at him. Didn't he want to hear what she had to say? "Sasuke, I'm trying to—"

"Swimming. The water's pretty warm already. Especially on the other side of the lake at Havenwoods. You see the wind usually blows from the west and it blows all the warm surface water over to that side. It's probably five or ten degrees warmer on the east shore." He stood up beside her and began to unbutton his shirt. "I don't think it's too cold for skinny-dipping, though."

Sakura gasped as Sasuke continued to strip off his clothes. His body was gorgeous in the moonlight, all hard muscle and lean limbs. A tiny shiver skittered down her spine and her fingers clenched with the need to reach out and touch him.

When he was completely naked, he stood next to her and waited. "Skinny-dipping doesn't work with clothes on," he said.

"I'm not jumping in that water," Sakura said.

"Come on. We can talk while we swim."

She shook her head, laughing at his audacious request. "No. I'll freeze."

A moment later, Sasuke ran in, executing a perfect shallow dive, his body slicing into the water with barely a sound. He surfaced ten feet from the shore, standing on his tiptoes on the bottom. "Come on, Sakura. I'll keep you warm."

"There are guests still up at the house. What if they walk down here?"

"We can hide under the pier," he said.

"It sounds like you've done this before."

Sasuke laughed, and then swam up to the pier. "No. but I used to think about it all the time. It was the stuff of my teenage fantasies. I used to think about you and me, doing this. Taking off all our clothes and playing around in the water. And then, we'd just swim together and I'd be able to touch you. I loved that fantasy. I still do." He dunked his head under the water, and then slicked his hair back. "Come on, Sakura. You can say everything you want to say once we're in the water."

"You're crazy," she said.

"I'm in love with this smart, sexy woman," Sasuke countered. "I'm supposed to be crazy. What about you?"

Sakura smiled, and then shook her head. "Is it really cold?"

"No." He paused. "Well, maybe a little. But if you keep moving it's not bad. Come on, Sakura Haruno. You used to rise to any challenge, accept any dare. You're turning into a wimp."

She got to her feet, staring out as he bobbed in the water. Then, Sakura reached for the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head. She kicked off her sandals and then skimmed her skirt down over her hips. When she stood in her underwear, Sasuke swam backward. But instead of running into the water, she walked slowly across the beach.

"It's not skinny-dipping unless you take everything off."

Groaning softly, she reached back and unhooked her bra, letting it fall off her shoulders. "Satisfied?"

"Not quite."

Grudgingly, Sakura slid her panties down and kicked them aside. Then, holding her breath, she stepped in. She wasn't prepared for the temperature of the water. It wasn't cold; it was _frigid_, stealing her breath from her chest. When the water reached her knees, she pushed forward, submerging for a second before she surfaced, gasping and sputtering.

A moment later, his hands were on her body, holding on to her waist and pulling her farther from the shore until she could just barely touch the bottom. "Oh my God. A few degrees colder and we could play hockey."

They bobbed around for a while and to Sakura's surprise, she did adjust. Before long, the air seemed colder than the water.

"See, it's not so bad," Sasuke said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Sasuke slid his hands over her hips to cup her backside. "This is much better. Now, tell me what you wanted to say."

"Why did I have to come in the water to do that?"

"Because you can't tell me that you never want to see me again while we're swimming naked together."

Sakura kicked away from him, and then splashed water in his face. "I want to see you," she said. "_I don't want to be apart anymore._" She shivered, her teeth chattering. "I quit my job. And sublet my apartment. In a few days, I'm not going to have anywhere to live. I was thinking, maybe _you might_ need a roommate at Havenwoods. I could help you out with the renovation."

"Are we talking about forever here?"

"Yes. I think that might be nice."

"I could do forever," Sasuke said.

"Really?" Sakura asked. "_You're sure_?"

"I haven't been happy since you left. And I was getting ready to move to New York."

"Don't do that." She stared up at the stars. "_This is where we belong_."

Sasuke pulled her body against his, wrapping her legs around his waist and rubbing her back. "So, I guess we're going to be together," he murmured, brushing his lips against hers.

"We are," Sakura said. Raking her fingers through his hair, she pulled him into a long, deep kiss, their warm mouths meeting and melding.

Suddenly, she wasn't afraid anymore. Loving Sasuke was the most natural thing in the world. It always had been from the time she'd first really seen him as the _boy of her dreams_. Whether it was fate or circumstance or just good luck, she'd found a man whom she could love. He'd been standing in front of her for so long that all she'd had to do was reach out and touch him.

"How much longer do we have to stay in this water?" she asked, her teeth still chattering.

"We could make a run for the boathouse. No one would find us there."

Sakura thought about the warm blankets and the soft bed in the boathouse, and then nodded. She wanted to crawl beneath the covers with Sasuke and to let him warm her body and arouse her desire. "I suppose it would be all right if someone did found us. We're going to have to tell our families sometime, don't you think?"

"Maybe we should do what Itachi and Mika did. Just get married."

Sakura kissed him again. "If we tell our mothers, you know they're going to want to plan a big wedding. They missed out with Itachi and Mika. They're not going to take this well."

"I could always fly back to New York with you. We could get married there, spend our honeymoon in some fancy hotel and rent a truck and move your things back."

She smiled. "I like that idea."

This was the beginning of their life together, here where it nearly ended eleven years ago. _It was better this way_, Sakura mused. It was meant to be this way. And years from now, when they stood on this same shore and looked out over the water, they'd remember the night of her eighteenth birthday. But they'd also remember the night they went skinny-dipping and decided that they might _love each other forever_.

_-Fin-_

* * *

**AN: Thats the final chapter complete for Your Bed or Mine. Sorry for the long wait.. Again please tell me what you think of this chapter and point out if there are any typos and wrong grammar. Do you like it? What's your favourite part or quote? Please tell me your opinion. R&R everyone.**

**P.S.: I want to thank you all for supporting me and this fic! Thank you for putting it on your favourites and alerts! It's been greatly appreciated! Thank you for giving wonderful reviews and for motivating me to keep writing the fic! I love you all for the support and your dedication and of course for waiting for me to update and thank you for understanding my previous awful predicament of not updating fast enough! Again I don't know how many thank yous I'm going to say but its been amazing and arigato for everything!!**

**P.P.S.: I don't know yet if there will be a sequel for this but for now it will stay like this! Maybe I will revise this fic in the future..and probably make a side story concerning Mika and Itachi's wedding and of course a side story about Sasuke and Sakura..but I have to think about ideas for it.. You're ideas are very much welcomed for this side stories! Arigato everyone for everything!! **

**Warning: I now have a new laptop which is great and I am now starting to think about ideas for my next fic so I hope I can post a prologue very soon...But it will only be at my possible free times since I've turned full time at my job..so it gets kinda busy and I can get very tired when I get home but I will try everything that is in my power to give you all a new fic. So until the next fic everyone!! Thank you for taking the time to read YOUR BED OR MINE...**

**Specially thanks to:**

**EVERYBODY who reviews this fic of mine. I love all of you and sorry about not mentioning pen names since there's too many of you!! ****So on behalf of Sasuke, Sakura, Itachi and Mika... ARIGATO!!**

**Arigato for the support.. XD**

**Uchiha Itachi - Uchiha Mika**


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